List of Partners vendors. Research has shown that the health benefits of laughter are far-ranging. Studies so far have shown that laughter can help relieve pain, bring greater happiness, and even increase immunity. Positive psychology names the propensity for laughter and sense of humor as one of the 24 main signature strengths one can possess. Unfortunately, however, many people don't get enough laughter in their lives. In fact, one study suggests that healthy children may laugh as much as times per day, but adults tend to laugh only 15 times per day.
Other studies find us laughing a little more than that, but if you ask me, virtually all of us could use a little more laughter in our lives, considering how beneficial a good laugh can actually be for our stress levels and overall wellness. Here are some of the many ways laughter reduces stress. Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol , epinephrine adrenaline , dopamine , and growth hormone.
It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones, like endorphins. Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells we have working for us and enhances the effectiveness of T cells. All this means a stronger immune system, as well as fewer physical effects of stress. Have you ever felt like you have to laugh or you'll cry? Have you experienced that cleansed feeling after a good laugh?
Laughter provides a physical and emotional release. A good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs, and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterward.
It even provides a good workout for the heart. Laughter brings the focus away from anger , guilt, stress , and negative emotions in a more beneficial way than other mere distractions. Studies show that our response to stressful events can be altered by whether we view something as a threat or a challenge. Humor can give us a more lighthearted perspective and help us view events as challenges, thereby making them less threatening and more positive.
Laughter connects us with others. Just as with smiling and kindness , most people find that laughter is contagious. So, if you bring more laughter into your life, you can most likely help others around you to laugh more and realize these benefits as well.
By elevating the mood of those around you, you can reduce their stress levels and perhaps improve the quality of social interaction you experience with them, reducing your stress level even more! Laughter is one of my all-time favorite stress management strategies because it's free, convenient, and beneficial in so many ways.
You can get more laughter in your life with the following strategies. Going to a movie or a comedy club with friends is a great way to get more laughter in your life. Express your true feelings. Deeply felt emotions are allowed to rise to the surface. Laughter is an especially powerful tool for managing conflict and reducing tension when emotions are running high. Laughter is your birthright, a natural part of life that is innate and inborn.
Infants begin smiling during the first weeks of life and laugh out loud within months of being born. Even if you did not grow up in a household where laughter was a common sound, you can learn to laugh at any stage of life. Begin by setting aside special times to seek out humor and laughter, as you might with exercising, and build from there.
When you look at someone or see something even mildly pleasing, practice smiling. Instead of looking down at your phone, look up and smile at people you pass in the street, the person serving you a morning coffee, or the co-workers you share an elevator with.
Notice the effect on others. Count your blessings. Literally make a list. The simple act of considering the positive aspects of your life will distance you from negative thoughts that block humor and laughter.
When you hear laughter, move toward it. Sometimes humor and laughter are private, a shared joke among a small group, but usually not. More often, people are very happy to share something funny because it gives them an opportunity to laugh again and feed off the humor you find in it.
Spend time with fun, playful people. Their playful point of view and laughter are contagious. Every comedian appreciates an audience. Bring humor into conversations. This week? In your life? It can even make exercise more fun and productive. Plus, hearing others laugh, even for no apparent reason, can often trigger genuine laughter.
To add simulated laughter into your own life, search for laugh yoga or laugh therapy groups. Both you and the other person will feel good, it will draw you closer together, and who knows, it may even lead to some spontaneous laughter. An essential ingredient for developing your sense of humor is to learn not to take yourself too seriously and laugh at your own mistakes and foibles.
Instead of feeling embarrassed or defensive, embrace your imperfections. They fall into the gray zone of ordinary life—giving you the choice to laugh or not. So, choose to laugh whenever you can. Laugh at yourself. Share your embarrassing moments. The best way to take yourself less seriously is to talk about times when you took yourself too seriously. Attempt to laugh at situations rather than bemoan them. Look for the humor in a bad situation, and uncover the irony and absurdity of life.
When something negative happens, try to make it a humorous anecdote that will make others laugh. Surround yourself with reminders to lighten up. Keep a toy on your desk or in your car. Put up a funny poster in your office. Choose a computer screensaver that makes you laugh. Frame photos of you and your family or friends having fun. Remember funny things that happen. If something amusing happens or you hear a joke or funny story you really like, write it down or tell it to someone to help you remember it.
Many things in life are beyond your control—particularly the behavior of other people. Find your inner child. Pay attention to children and try to emulate them—after all, they are the experts on playing, taking life lightly, and laughing at ordinary things. Deal with stress. One great technique to relieve stress in the moment is to draw upon a favorite memory that always makes you smile—something your kids did, for example, or something funny a friend told you.
Think of it like exercise or breakfast and make a conscious effort to find something each day that makes you laugh. Lowering the stress hormones in your body makes it easier to focus and put your energy towards the goals you want to accomplish. Even the temporary alleviation of such emotions can be a welcome respite during a tough time. When you laugh, it shifts perspective and creates a psychological distance from the current situation. For starters, try smiling more.
Even a forced smile can have benefits. The more you practice smiling, the easier it gets. Plus, smiles are contagious! Make an effort to smile at people you pass on the street and take note of the effect this has on others. Sometimes, they may be enjoying an inside joke, but most people are happy to retell a funny story or a good joke to add to the fun.
0コメント