Laughter: It Really Is the Best Medicine

“Mirth is God's medicine. Everybody ought to bathe in it”.
~Henry Ward Beecher

Isn’t it great when something that’s fun is also really good for you too? Laughter is something everyone enjoys, regardless of age, gender, nationality, or anything else and we all know how much better we feel when we laugh.

It's a universal experience, and researchers even think certain animals have the capacity for humour. Well, duh! Anyone who's spent any time in close proximity to any variety of pets/animals could tell you that. If you've been around goats you know what clowns they are and if you've ever played the fake-throw the ball trick on your dog, you know how indignant they get when they realize the joke is on them. Although most of the time, bird poop landing on you is just accidental, there are occasions I'm pretty sure they know exactly where they're aiming! Lol!

http://animal-animal-animal.blogspot.com/2012/01/funny-laughing-animals.html

Numerous scientific studies now prove what we already instinctively knew, that laughter really does have tremendous healing powers both psychological and physiological. Laughter actually changes your body chemistry for the better by dissipating hormones associated with stress and increasing the levels of those associated with happiness, such as endorphins and serotonin. When you take into account the fact that it doesn’t cost a penny, it really is the “best medicine”.

Here a few reasons to laugh as often as possible…….

Laughter……

Strengthens the Immune System
Can a “laugh a day keep the doctor away”? Yes! Laughter increases the amount of immunoglobulin A in saliva, which helps protect against colds, flus, and other respiratory tract infections. It also increases the natural killer cells that seek out and destroy harmful viruses and even tumor cells.

Alleviates Pain
Laughter releases Nature’s pain-killer—endorphins and can relieve pain for up to 2 hours or more in conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, headaches, and general musculoskeletal pains, especially stress-related ones.

Reduces Stress and Dispels Depression and Anxiety
Laughter clears away excess cortisol due to stress, loosens up muscle tension, induces deeper breathing, and releases hormones that produce a tranquil, happy state of mind and body.

Is Great Exercise
A good, long laugh is somewhat similar to an aerobic workout in that it increases lung capacity and oxygen levels, detoxifies your body by increasing the circulation of blood and lymph, strengthens your core muscles (that’s why your stomach muscles ache after laughing), massages internal organs, and it even burns calories.

Benefits the Heart
Dilates blood vessels and increases circulation, lowers blood pressure, and increases joy and inner peace.

Stimulates Creativity
Laughter clears away the mental cobwebs. It is cathartic, releases accumulated tension, and shakes us out of negative or rigid mindsets. Increased oxygen flow to the brain and emission of feel-good body chemicals changes our perspective. Problems seem less daunting and we are free to see new solutions and possibilities.

How often do you need to laugh to get these benefits? Well, even a minute or two of laughter a few times a day is beneficial, but laughter is one of those things that you really can’t overdo.

LAUGHTER YOGA

What if nothing is funny? Well, you might be surprised to know there doesn’t actually need to be an external stimulus in order to laugh. You can laugh whenever you choose to. It may seem strange, but your body can’t tell the difference between a real laugh and an induced one. Just ask any Laughter Yoga practitioner.

Now this is really nothing like the yoga most people are familiar with and the term is being used loosely here to simply mean a practice or exercise. There are no complicated postures or breathing techniques required, just a willingness to laugh, have fun, and be silly--- like when you were a kid.

There are Laughter Yoga groups all over the globe. You can find out more at the Laughter Yoga website https://laughteryoga.org/ where you can search for laughter clubs and teachers all over the world. Most likely there's one near you, or you could even start your own club!

So make time for some laughter every day. It just might keep the doctor away!

Image - resources3.news.com.au/images/2012/11/23/1226522/808855-laughter-yoga.jpg

References
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24682001
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12652882