Why Laughter is the Best Medicine
We all enjoy a good laugh but did you know that smiling and laughter have actually been proven to have health benefits too?
Laughter helps you deal with pain better
Research suggests having a good laugh with friends really does help us deal with pain better. When you really laugh properly the physical exertion leaves you exhausted and thereby triggers the release of “feel-good” endorphins. These chemicals help you deal with pain better and induce feelings of wellbeing.
A chuckle gives you a work-out and burns calories too
One leading researcher in laughter medicine, Dr William Fry, claimed it took 10 minutes on a rowing machine for his heart rate to reach the level it would after only a minute of belly laughing. And research conducted at Vanderbilt University found laughing raises energy expenditure and increases heart rate by between 10 and 20 per cent.
Laughter relieves stress and may boost our wellbeing
The actual act of laughing or even smiling can help to alleviate the kind of muscle tension we associate with stress,” says behaviour expert Judi James.
Even if you start by faking the laughs the change of body state can prompt inner feelings of happiness and wellbeing.
It can be all too easy to ‘relax’ by watching the news or gloomy TV programmes but switching to a diet of comedy shows can be far more effective in terms of unwinding and allowing the pressure of the day to evaporate.
Humour helps you cope with work stress
When you become too absorbed in the serious side of our jobs it can trigger our survival responses, which can in turn convert to stress, explains Judi. Normal challenges, problems or even mistakes can become worrying issues.
Your brain goes into panic mode and your body responds in kind. By allowing yourself to laugh you can also allow yourself to minimise the sense of threat, which helps you deal with any problems in a calmer, less emotional way.
Laughter can also be the glue that bonds a team together. “Most of the strongest teams I have worked with use humour and laughter to create rapport and minimise conflict, recalls Judi.
How to get more laughter in your life
- Buy DVD boxed sets of your favourite comedies and watch them if you’re down.
- Listen to comedy on the radio rather than gloomy news bulletins.
- Make other people laugh. You don’t need to do a comedy routine but relating funny incidents or being spontaneous now and again will work.
- Swap moans for jokes. Work out how long you currently spend moaning and reallocate that time to making yourself and others laugh.
- Take a look at YouTube for more information about laughter and search out other amusing links.
