We’ve all heard the quote, ‘laughter is the best medicine’. And maybe we are all so familiar with the quote because it is true and has stood the test of time.
Laughter is Good for Your Physical Health
There have been countless studies conducted over the years, proving that laughter really is good for your physical health. Laughter:
- Can help protect the heart by improving the function of blood vessels and increasing blood flow. This is due to laughter having an anti-inflammatory effect that can help protect you against a heart attack or other cardiovascular related problems.
- Allows us to tolerate discomfort better by helping to reduce pain.
- Reduces blood sugar levels which can increase glucose tolerance, which is especially helpful to diabetics.
- May even help you live a longer life. One study found a correlation that people who laughed more often, tended to live longer. This was especially true for studies focused on cancer patients.
Laughter is Beneficial to Your Mental Health
Did you know laughter can be good for your mental health? It can. Here are just a few reasons why. Laughter helps:
Improve Your Mood
Laughter can help trigger the release of endorphins, the chemicals in our brain that make us feel good. It also activates the release of serotonin, which is the same brain neurotransmitters that the most common types of antidepressants (SSRIs) target to boost mood.
Relieve Stress and Boosts Immune System
When a person laughs, it helps them to relax, which in turn helps your body to relieve physical tension and stress. And by decreasing stress levels, this helps increase immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies. It gives your immune system a boost and an increased ability to fight off disease.
Foster Healthy Relationships
When building new relationships, laughter can be an important part of bonding. It can help trigger positive feelings and build an emotional connection. It can unite people when facing a difficult situation, helping to build trust and a stronger bond. In long term relationships, such as a marriage, laughter can help diffuse a conflict and help the relationship move past anger to a more productive place focused on resolving the conflict. It can also help activate connectivity in different regions of the brain that help us listen and communicate better.
Mental Health Counseling Can Help You Build a Healthier, Happier Life and Learn to Laugh More
Along with laughter, there are many other tools you can use to build a healthier, happier life. Mental health counseling can help introduce you to those tools and work toward becoming a less stressed, happier version of yourself. Contact Elemental Mental Health to learn how.