Laugh, laugh, laugh ... With reasons or without:
We all know it’s important to eat well and exercise for a healthy body, but what about laughing for a healthy mind? It’s said that laughter is the best medicine. Dr. Michael H. T. Sia, a pediatrician, says, “In the last few decades, researchers have studied laughter’s effects on the body. Biologically, it affects us via blood flow, immune response, blood sugar levels, relaxation, and sleep. Some feel laughter boosts our energy too.”
How else does laughter improve our health? Here’s how:
1. It stimulates your immune system and improves blood flow
Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, a specialist in holistic medicine, says that even when you do a forced, deep-belly laugh, the laughter stimulates your immune system and releases tension. In other words, laughter—even forced laughter—can be great preventive medicine!
2. It’s a great way to break up stress or awkward situations
“Laugh out loud!” says Dr. Heidi Fowler. “From a psychiatric standpoint, laughing and humor are probably the highest/healthier form of defense mechanism.” Besides the physical effects of laughing, laughter also lightens your mental state and it’s contagious!
3. Laughing helps you relax and sleep
Dr. Fowler quotes Arnold H. Glasow, who said “Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects.” Lower stress and anxiety levels means it’s easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep.
4. It also boosts your energy and makes you feel good
Because laughter is a full-body experience, it “wakes up” your body. Psychiatrist Dr. Charles Barnhart also notes, “Laughing has been shown to cause the secretion of lots of good chemicals in the brain.
BONUS:
5 Reasons to Smile
(Because if you’re laughing, you’re smiling!)
1. Smiling makes you—and everyone around you—feel good!
Prosthodontist Dr. John Thaler—a specialist in smiles—says smiling projects a positive and friendly attitude, and before you know it, everyone around you starts feeling better.
2. Smiling helps you understand other people, and vice versa
Because of the positive feedback loop, unconsciously mimicking a smile and physically experiencing it helps us understand whether our own smile is fake or real—which helps us understand the original smiler’s emotional state.
3. Smiling can feel better than chocolate and money
British researchers found that one smile can generate the same level of brain stimulation as up to 2,000 bars of chocolate or receiving up to £16,000—or $25,000—in cash.
4. Smiling lowers stress
Child psychiatrist Dr. Jonathan Nehrer notes that smiling helps you think positively and is a positive coping mechanism for negative issues you might be going through.
5. Smiling helps you live a longer, happier life
Lowered stress levels and increased positivity—both things that happen from smiling—go a long way towards increasing the length and quality of our lives. Dr. Glen Elliott, a child psychiatrist, says that there is evidence to suggest that people who are happy do better with certain kinds of illnesses.
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