One of the most underrated ways to lead a more positive and healthy life is laughter. According to the Mayo Clinic, laughter has plenty of short and long-term benefits for the body.
Short-Term Benefits
Laughter is believed to help stimulate and encourage increased activity in many organs in the body, such as the heart, lungs, and muscles. Medical websites also state that laughter helps increase endorphins.
Recent studies show that laughing with others helps release endorphins in the brain through opioid receptors. This also explains why social laughter is highly contagious. As a result, when someone starts laughing, it is very easy for others to join in on the laughter, even if they’re not sure what everyone is laughing about.
Along with the short-term benefits are its ability to relieve the stress response and soothe tension in the body.
Long-Term Effects
Mayo Clinic also stated the long-term effects of laughter, which include improving the immune system and relieving pain. Negative thoughts are said to manifest into chemical reactions that affect the body by bringing more stress into the system and decrease one’s immunity. In contrast, positive thoughts release neuropeptides that can help fight stress and more severe illnesses.
When it comes to pain, laughter can help ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers. According to a study from the American Scientist, it was found that women laugh about 125% more than their male counterparts, while men instigate laughter the most. Because of this, it’s amazing to discover that couples who laugh together actually have higher-quality relationships.
The Neuroscience of Laughter
A study published in the journal Cerebral Cortex showed valuable MRI scans that were used to investigate which areas of the brain were at work when laughing. Participants of the research study were divided into three groups. The first group was tickled on the sole of the foot, and they were given the permission to laugh, the second group was tickled but was ordered to suppress their laughter, and the third group was asked to laugh voluntarily without being tickled.
The brain activity of the first group, in which their laughter was genuine, showed that more regions were activated when compared with the other two groups. During laughter, certain parts of the brain are activated to release endorphins, which decreases pain and increases the sense of euphoria.
Ways to Laugh More Often
Haven’t had a good laugh lately? There are many ways you can have a good laugh, such as watching a good comedy film or series, talking with friends about the funny moments you all have had over the past days or week, and also spend time with playful friends. Try it and see how it will affect your mood positively.
If you’re feeling a bit down today, why not have a good laugh? Not only will it boost your mood, but it will also benefit your overall health and well-being. It’s a natural weapon with no side effects.
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