Can humour and laughter cure all illnesses? Probably not. But there is evidence that laughter and humour can help us to relieve stress and improve our life. Lets find out how.
Have you seen people rushing to work with that frown in the morning, sitting all day at the office with it, then taking it home to spend the evening with that same frown in front of a TV? Hey, I’ve been guilty living that way for a while too. But the truth is being playful, joking and laughing is completely normal behaviour, up to a point. Kids usually spend a lot of time being playful, and it’s also normal for many animals to be silly. Maybe you deserve to give yourself a chance to have more fun!
Lets take a look at benefits of laughter.
First, laughing on a regular basis might reduce your blood pressure. Each time you laugh, it's like exercise, sort of an “internal jogging”: your blood pressure increases at first, and than drops below normal. Some studies show that it can even reduce the risk of heart disease.
You also condition many groups of muscles, such as abdominal, facial and back muscles. You've heard the expressions: side-splitting laughter, well after a good laugh, it sometimes feels like you've gone through a workout.
Laughter positively impacts your respiration. It's almost the equivalent lung work as deep breathing, sending more oxygen-enriched blood throughout the body.
Humour can also help you to deal with discomfort and pain, and also reduce muscle tension.
You will have reduced levels of several hormones associated with stress, such as epinephrine, cortisol, and dopamine. Humour is truly powerful medicine for your mood, it can dissolve anger and frustration, helping you to look at difficult situations from a different angle and finding solutions.
Laughter stimulates both sides of the brain, which enhances learning, creativity and focus.
Humour can also help your social life, career and, by-the-way, it really does make you more attractive!
So many benefits – I’m sold! Are you?
What if you’re feeling a bit rusty in the humour department?
Start looking for everyday humour, absurd and funny stuff that happens around you.
Remember what silly things you used to enjoy as a kid and give it a try again. Also, observe other kids and how they can amuse themselves with most boring things.
Increase your exposure to funny books, movies, tv shows, comedy clubs and so on.
Spend time with friends who enjoy having fun. Overall, spend time with people who help you to see the bright side.
Become aware and remind yourself that you need to lighten up your mood regularly, until it becomes a habit.
What silly things that improve your mood do you like to do?
Elena INSPIRE HEALTH
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