I always knew that laughter really can be one of those ‘cures’ for almost anything. We have all had at least one of those moments in life when you just laugh. Hard! Really hard! And you can’t stop laughing.
And then, every time you think about that moment again, you laugh again. Hard!
My husband recently told me a story he remembers from when he was a kid; he was on holidays and heading to the breakfast buffet table to serve himself a juice. It was one of those dispensers that you push the nossle down and the juice flows out until you lift it back up. But this nossle didn’t work. It jammed. And juice kept coming….. and coming…
And coming !
And this poor little kid had no way to stop it other then by continuous fill the glasses next to him. And it keep going and going…
As he told me, I am imagining him as this poor little kid trying to not make a mess, while at the same time witnessing his laughing barrel of joy as he replays the story to me. We both laugh, really laugh. Hard!
It is wonderful. Those moments set in time that just take you back to a wonderous place.
But did you know that laughter can actually do more for you then make you giggle, smile and put you in the happy place?
When you laugh, you…
Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response and increases your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.
Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.
Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. In contrast, positive thoughts actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.
Relieve pain. Laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers. Laughter may also break the pain-spasm cycle common to some muscle disorders.
Increase personal satisfaction. Laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations. It also helps you connect with other people.
Improve your mood. Many people experience depression, sometimes due to chronic illnesses. Laughter can help lessen your depression and anxiety and make you feel happier.
It all makes sense, right? We laugh around others, we connect with them. We laugh, we feel better and forget about any pain we may be experiencing.
There is a lot to be said about laughter…
Do you have a moment that cracks you up every time?
(source: Mayo Clinic)
