Health Benefits of Laughter

Why should we laugh more often, what are the physical, social and mental benefits of laughter? Let's dive into some physical benefits of laughter. 

Physical Benefits of Laughter

Studies show that laughter is a powerful exercise for your heart and lungs. The regular act of laughing can strengthen your immune system and decrease stress hormones such as cortisol. Additional studies have shown that laughter is also good for your physical well-being because it speeds up the removal of air from your stomach contents through contractions in your esophagus, relaxes muscles in the chest, improves cardiovascular health by increasing blood flow to the brain for up to 20 minutes after an episode of laughter. Furthermore, it stimulates various immune cells that assist in fighting infection and improves lung function by opening airways and increasing breathing capacity.

Emotional and Mental Benefits of Laughter

But the benefits don't stop here, it also affects our emotions and mental health because laughing is a natural way to release stress and tension. When we have a good laugh we immediately experience that sense of release and ease, we feel relaxed and all the clouds seem to disappear. Laughter is a natural emotional release, it liberates accumulated tension in the body and that affects our mood in a positive manner. It helps us get better at handling stressful situations, and with time it improves our overall well-being. This is because laughter releases endorphins in the brain which make us feel good. Laughter also helps creativity by making us more alert and attentive to our surroundings, which can lead to new ideas.

Laughter is a natural form of communication. It can be used as a tool to connect people in relationships, especially when there are miscommunications between the two parties or even awkward moments. We know that laughter is contagious, so if you are in a bad mood and you see someone else laughing, you will probably start laughing too. So if you are wondering how to laugh more, here are some suggestions:

• Spend more time with friends or family members that make you laugh.
• Try laughter therapy.
• Watch something amusing for you more often.
• Read humor books.
• Use crystals that promote joy, like Citrine.

The main takeaway is that laughter has many benefits, such as strengthening relationships and improving mood. It also helps improve the immune system and boosts metabolism. So it is worth exposing ourselves to situations that make us laugh.