6 Incredible Benefits of Laughter you need to know!
02-07-2017 | Posted By: Chhavi | 3337 View(s)
You must have heard the quote ‘Laughter is the best medicine.’ When you laugh while reading a joke, or watching anything humorous; you are doing something good for your health. Sharing a laugh with a friend or a family member can enlighten your day, no matter how down-and-out you feel. There are many benefits of laughter. Laughter is known to reduce stress, boost immunity, improve heart health and increase the confidence of a person.
Here are some surprising benefits of Laughter:
1.It Increases your Immunity
“Laughter is, and will always be, the best form of therapy.”– Dau Voire.
Have you ever laughed so hard while you had a headache, that for a second you thought that the pain had gone away? Well, it is quite common to feel good with a roar of laughter when you are sick. Stress releases negative chemicals in the body that weakens the body’s immunity system. Studies have shown that laughing releases neuropeptides, which help fight illness and stress, thereby boosting the immunity of the system.
2. It Increases Pain Tolerance
“People who laugh live longer than those who do not laugh. Few persons realise that health varies according to the amount of laughter.” –James J. Walsh
One of the leading benefits of laughter is that it increases pain tolerance. Laughter releases mood-enhancing hormones endorphin which helps you stay distracted from the aches and increases your tendency to tolerate pain. According to a British study, if you laugh for 15 minutes, then it can increase pain tolerance by around 10 percent due to endorphins being released in the brain. Another research done at Oxford University revealed that people feel less pain when they laugh. The study confirmed that it is laughter itself, and not just positive emotions that help in relieving pain.
3. It helps in Building Social Relationships
“The person who can bring the spirit of laughter into a room is indeed blessed.” – Bennett Cerf
Everyone likes to be with a company who can make them laugh. Studies show that men love women who laugh in their presence and vice versa. When we laugh with others, we make those around us feel happy, minimise their stress level and improve the quality of social interaction.
It is generally seen that in a group of people, that one person is remembered the most that make others laugh and bring positive energy. Therefore, laugh and make others laugh to keep yourself and others happy.
4. It helps Reduce Weight
“Hearty laughter is the best way to jog internally without having to go outdoors.”- Norman Cousins
One of the surprising benefits of laughter is that it helps people shed a few pounds. If you are trying to lose weight, do add laughter to your exercise regime. Studies have shown that laughing for 10-15 minutes can burn about 50 calories. Apart from burning calories, laughing also boosts metabolism which in turn aids in weight loss. Thus, laugh daily to lose weight in a healthy manner.
5. It is good for our heart Health
“Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.”- Lord Byron.
The heart is a muscle which functions better with exercise, which is why laughing, is considered healthy for the heart. When we laugh, the blood flow improves as the tissue that composes the lining of the blood vessels expands. This plays a significant role in keeping heart diseases at bay. Also, laughter reduces blood pressure. Thus, fill your heart with a good laugh to prevent heart diseases.
6. It Boosts Confidence
“Laughter gives us distance. It allows people to step back from an event, deal with it and then move on.” — Bob Newhart
Confident and successful people have one thing in common: no matters how hard times they face or how much mistakes they commit, they have the ability to accept their mistakes and laugh at their own mistakes. When you learn not to take stress on petty things and handle any mistake with a smile on your face, it improves your decision-making ability and also boosts your confidence that any bad time will pass. Thus, laugh in hard times too, just know that it will pass and you will have a brighter future if you accept your mistakes heartily and work on it.
When you laugh, it not only makes you healthy but also makes you and others around you feel good. Laughing with others creates a pleasant atmosphere and makes everybody like your personality. Thus, share a good and genuine laugh with everyone to make your life healthier and happier. There are many wonderful benefits of laughter, and so you should laugh daily. Life is short, and so you should smile while you still have teeth!
