7 Benefits of Laughter
(BeWellBuzz) Do you know what the most contagious thing in this world is? It’s not a skin disease or cough; it is “laughter”. Yes, laughter is contagious!
Unfortunately, today we do not have time to laugh. We have become so busy in our
daily routines, works and businesses that we refuse to indulge in activities that make us
laugh!
Laughter can help us in several ways. Many therapists confirm that if we induce the
laughing activity in our lives on a regular basis, we won’t need many medicines, psycho-
therapies and physical or mental rehabilitation sessions.
One of the most amazing and beautiful sounds we hear is of laughter. While it is
difficult to count the numerous benefits of laughter, let us look into some of the
important benefits of laughter.
7 Benefits of Laughter
1. Physical Health Benefits: Laughter triggers and initiates healthy physical
changes in your body. When we laugh, a chemical called endorphins is released.
This chemical is known to produce our body’s natural feel-good characteristics.
Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily
relieve pain. Laughter also decreases the body pain, relaxes muscles and lowers
stress hormones. Many doctors say that laughter can help prevent heart disease
to some extent.
2. Social Benefits: Playful communication, humor and laughter between people
improves our relationship and creates a bond of understanding between each
other. Sitting together and enjoying laughter and humorous environment
together removes all stresses, disappointments and disagreements.
In general we can say that the laughter helps improve following aspects of social
behavior:
- Attracts others to us
- Strengthens relationships
- Helps defuse conflict
- Enhances teamwork
- Promotes group bonding
3. Family Bonding: Mutual laughter and interaction sessions with spouse and children are an essential component of positive, vibrant healthy, and strong, family relationships. We must make deliberate and conscious efforts to have humorous, playful and full of laughter sessions and events regularly amongst the family members. This will improve the love life between couples and bring parents and children closer to each other.
4. Mental Health Benefits: Laughter improves the mood and atmosphere. It
makes you relaxed and removes anxiety and fear. Stress is the biggest enemy of
a healthy body. Laughter removes the stress from your mind and body. Laughter
is the cause of joy for you. When you’re laughing, distressing emotions are
dissolved thus you do not waste your mental and physical energy which keeps
you focused and accomplish more physically as well as mentally.
5. Emotional Health benefits: Humor produces laughs and and laughter lightens
up your mood and makes you feel good. This “good” feeling remains with you
for a long time, even after the laughter subsides. Your mental horizons broaden
up as laughter helps you have a positive and optimistic outlook during difficult
times. It maintains your emotional balance and allows you to see the humorous
side of any event.
6. Self-image and self-confidence Improvement: Laughter helps you
get rid of mental stress. It make your mind free of stressful thoughts, so you
can think clearly and positively. This ability to think and decide positively makes
you feel more confident, and when you act with your positive thoughts, your
behavior improves and people start believing in your positive and self-confident
image.
Through laughter, you can express your true feelings and you feel light and
relaxed after releasing your emotions through laughter. Life is full of challenges
and problems. You must have the ability to laugh and play with problems.
7. More fun in your life: Laughter is fun and it fills your life with joy
and happiness. When you see someone laughing, you start feeling good. Rich or
poor, healthy or sick, young or old, weak or strong, male or female, good or bad;
everyone enjoys a laugh. A good laughter is the best medicine for all even when
one is not sick.
How can you create opportunities to laugh?
Our lives have become slaves to clocks. We do not find time for ourselves and run
around issues that destroy us mentally and physically. We must create fun-filled
activities in our daily lives to have fun, enjoyment and laughter.
- Plan family/friends get-togethers
- Read some funny books
- Watch funny movies
- Share jokes with family, friends and co workers
- Join comedy clubs
And, if you do not find anything, then just do something silly or childish and laugh at
yourself. Remember, laughter is the best medicine!
