Health Benefits

Laugh to Your Heart’s Content

The Important Role Laughter Can Play in Your Health & Fitness

Maybe you didn’t realize it, but the last time you had a really good laugh — perhaps at a good friend’s joke — you were getting healthier!

The health benefits of laughter are too great to ignore.

When we laugh, it increases serotonin and endorphins in the brain, and simultaneously decreases stress hormones in the body. It is good for the health of our lungs, muscles, heart, and immune system. It also benefits mental health by relieving worries, easing anxiety, increasing feelings of positivity, building resilience and improving overall happiness.

1. Provides an Internal Workout

Lacking time to go to the gym? A substantial laugh burns calories, provides our body with movement, increases conditioning and toning, and keeps our body’s cardio systems active. One pioneer in laughter research, William Fry, claimed it took 10 minutes on a rowing machine for his heart rate to reach the level it would after just one minute of hearty laughter.

2. Increases blood flow

Laughter improves our blood flow, which in turn reduces our stress hormones, lowers our blood pressure and activates our immune system. This is also critical because poor blood flow increases inflammation, the root cause of all major diseases. Increasing blood flow to the brain can also repair or prevent neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s. We were made to move and be joyful!

3. Relieves Pain

Hand in hand with blood flow is the issue of pain. When suffering from any kind of physical pain, it’s beneficial to include a dose of humour as part of the treatment. The physical process of laughter triggers the release of dopamine and feel-good endorphins into our systems. This rush of brain chemicals that give us a sense of well-being, work better than morphine to reduce pain. Also, laughter can distract us from thoughts of our aches and pains, and it has been found to break the pain-spasm cycle common to some muscle disorders. Adding exercise and laughter to our routine is clearly beneficial.

4. Boosts the Immune System

We can improve our immune system with a regular dose of laughter. Several studies have proven that laughter can improve the immune system by increasing the number of anti-infection antibodies as well as T-cells in the blood. Also, laughter has been shown to increase the activity of Natural Killer cells, our best allies against tumours and viruses. An assessment of the activity of NK cells before and after watching funny videos points to higher NK cell activity after a bout of laughter. A stronger immune system equates to better resistance to disease and illness, so there will be less chance to get coughs, colds and other infections. A healthy dose of laughter a day keeps the doctor away.

5. Reduces Stress

Laughter is a great form of stress relief. It causes a decrease in the levels of stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine, and increases the activation of the dopamine-dispensing reward system of the brain, which releases health-enhancing hormones. It’s hard to feel anxious or sad when you are having a good laugh.  Laughter distracts.  It takes your mind away from daily problems and worries.  When the endorphins reach your brain, stress levels are automatically reduced.  You relax and as you relax you recharge. You start to feel good and your mind clears. Also, laughter provides a full-scale workout for our muscles and stimulates blood circulation, and this, in turn, helps reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.

6. Improves Sleep Quality

So, can laughing more, help you sleep? When we are having difficulty enjoying sound sleep at night, laughter is one of the best medicines that we can try. Laughing causes the body to produce more melatonin, the hormone released by the brain that helps us sleep better. Some scientific research in the field of sleep and insomnia has found that laughter helps improve sleep patterns, which is helpful in treating insomnia. In the evening, having a good laugh with our family members or friends, will help reduce stress and anxiety, and promote deep, restful sleep. Just laugh it up!

7. Fights Depression

“Just as we laugh because we feel happy, we can feel happy because we laugh.”

Laughter can help people suffering from either seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or full-blown depression. It can actually work as a natural anti-depressant. Because laughter reduces the levels of stress-related hormones and replaces them with feel-good ones, creating a positive state of mind. It reduces anxiety and other negative emotions. When a person has a positive attitude towards life, there is less chance to succumb to feelings of depression and hopelessness. When we feel worn out or depressed, one of the most effective strategies we can employ is laughter.

8. Helps control Diabetes

Laughter can also help in keeping diabetes under control. According to a study done by the University of Tsukuba in Japan, laughter can lower blood sugar levels after a meal among people with Type 2 diabetes. While the exact cause is not yet known, it is believed that laughter has a direct impact on the neuroendocrine system, which monitors the body’s glucose levels. It also may be due to the energy used by the stomach muscles while laughing. The study elucidates the inhibitory effect of laughter on the increase in PPBG* and suggests the importance of daily opportunities for laughter in patients with diabetes.

9. Protects the Heart

We all know that the heart is a muscle and it gets stronger and functions better with exercise. This is one of the reasons why laughing is considered a healthy workout for the heart. When we laugh, the tissue that composes the lining of the blood vessels expands, leading to increased vascular blood flow. This plays an important role in fighting against atherosclerosis and reducing the risk of a heart attack. High blood pressure (hypertension), which is one of the most dangerous side effects of stress (as well as a huge risk factor for heart disease and stroke), doesn’t really agree with laughter. It’s hard to be stressed when you’re laughing. The American Heart Association recommends laughter for a healthy heart, adding that research has shown laughter promotes reduced artery inflammation and increased production of HDL, or “good” cholesterol. Giving yourself the chance to laugh every day can keep your heart healthy and prevent cardiovascular problems.

10. Keeps You Young

Including laughter as part of our daily ‘routine’ can make us look younger. When we smile and laugh, as many as 15 facial muscles work together. This increases the blood flow around the face, making us look younger and healthier.
Plus, a good belly laugh improves physical as well as emotional health and a healthier look is a younger look. Keep using whatever products you believe will help you look younger, but don’t forget to start looking for reasons to laugh more. (On a side note, if you are worried about getting laugh lines, just keep using a good moisturizer).

11. Increases Your Energy Levels

Laughter can also energize the mind and the body. When we laugh, air gets forced out of the lungs, which causes us to take deep inward breaths. This increases the flow of oxygen around the body’s muscles and organs, resulting in more energy. Increased energy also means improved alertness, creativity and memory. To be an energetic individual, regular physical exercise is important, but when we include laughter in our daily routine, we take it to a whole other level.

12. Makes You More Attractive

“Is laughter a factor in meeting, matching and mating?” In his article The Science of Laughter, Dr. Robert Provine explains how he sought an answer for this question in the “human marketplace of newspaper personal ads”. In a review of more than 3,700 newspaper personal ads, women were 62% more likely to mention laughter, including seeking a mate with a sense of humour, while men were more likely to offer humour in their ads. Clearly, women seek men who make them laugh, and men are eager to comply with this request. Then, there is the undeniable fact that we all look more attractive when we smile (unless we need extensive dental care).

Sources: