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Laugh It Up!

Stress reduction image.

For years, Readers Digest has featured the column “Laughter, the Best Medicine.” It contains jokes, riddles and humorous musings designed to tickle the funny bone. But just how important is laughter to our everyday health?

Turns out that when we laugh we produce natural killer cells which destroy tumors and viruses. Plus there’s an increase in the production of Gamma-interferon (a disease-fighting protein), T-cells (important for our immune system) and B-cells (which make disease-fighting antibodies). Besides lowering blood pressure, laughter increases oxygen in the blood, which also facilitates healing.

Laughter helps us to deal with stress, cope with loss, work through tragedy, hide our embarrassment and calm our fears. Laughter helps the body relax. It lowers blood pressure, increases immune system functioning and assists in warding off disease.

In terms of mental health, laughter:
  • Helps us connect with others – humor is often used as a means to help us collectively cope with grief, fear or loss

  • Makes us more productive – happy people have more energy

  • Releases negative emotions such as anger, fear, sadness, resentment, depression

  • Increases the likelihood that we will feel happy

  • Releases endorphins in the brain that help you to feel good

Did you also know that laughter is a form of aerobic exercise? You may even feel fatigued if you laugh continuously for any length of time! Just remind yourself to laugh well and often in order to experience the aerobic benefits of laughter.

What steps can you take to increase the amount of laughter in your life?
  • Surround yourself with positive upbeat people who laugh a lot – laughter really is contagious!

  • Find out what makes you laugh – is it funny movies, watching the comedy channel, reading funny material? Whatever it is – do it more often!

  • Don’t take yourself, or anyone else, or even life so seriously.

Always remember, happiness is your birthright… so laugh and when you do, laugh loud and often!

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