Laughter isn't just the best
medicine, it’s life’s saving grace.
Do
you like to laugh? Goof around with friends and giggle and laugh? Tell jokes?
Watch funny movies?
Laughter
is such a great freebie in life. It’s contagious. It helps us cope with things,
resets our mood, and makes our body healthier.
Did
you also know when laughter, humor, and a playful spirit become an integrated
part of your life your creativity increases (good news for writers, eh)?
Indulging in play with family, friends and coworkers makes you more relaxed. It
creates a positive attitude and gives you needed balance in your perspective of
situations and life. Being playful and sharing laughter helps solve problems
and connect with others. It gives you moments of joy and happiness. Age has
nothing to do with our sense of fun and play. We can and should indulge in play
regardless of our age.
Laughter
is a powerful remedy to stress, pain, and conflict. Nothing works faster or
more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good
laugh. There are numerous physiological changes in our body as a result of
laughter.
For
instance:
Laughter relaxes your body. Did you know that a good round of laughter will relieve stress and tension and relax your muscles up to 45 minutes later.
It also helps focus your mind. Perhaps that’s why those in dangerous jobs tend to joke and poke at one another—think soldiers, police, and firefighters just to name a few.
Laughter also releases the body's feel good chemicals—endorphins. This chemical can temporarily relieve pain or reduce it dramatically.
Laughter makes the heart feel good. It reduces stress; helps increase the function of blood vessels, which increases the blood flow. Win-win for the cardiovascular system.
Laughter boosts the immune system by decreasing stress hormones and increasing the immune cells and antibodies. Those help fight off disease.
There
are moments in life it’s hard to smile much less laugh. When you’re in a state
of sadness, you have further to travel to get to humor and laughter. In
reality, this is when you need the laughter the most.
We've lost five precious people in my family. I won’t kid you it’s a hard one to cope
with. One of the things we, as a family, do is share funny stories about the
one we've lost. Or a special memory. A time of, do you remember when…?
We gather together and celebrate the life of the one we've lost. Yeah, we cry
and we laugh. But it helps remind us that we’re together and of the beauty of
life and the endurance of love.
Laughter unites people during difficult times. Laughter gives
you the courage and strength to find new sources of meaning and hope. Even in
the most difficult of times, a laugh—or even a smile—can go a long way toward
making you feel better. Laughter also creates psychological distance, which can
help you avoid feeling overwhelmed.
While
I have my serious moments I don’t take myself too seriously. I love laughter
and I indulge in it frequently. I’m drawn to people who like to laugh. I also
look for other ways to enjoy humor and laughter.
You tube has god knows how
many clips of funny things. Usually something from movie I enjoyed. For
instance, there were some funny scenes in The Avengers—I love the scene where
the Hulk beats the snot out of Loki and walks away after calling him a puny
god.
I like to watch movies that make me laugh. I like to make time for fun
things like bowling, miniature golfing, swimming, a barbecue with friends, or a
game night of cards or board games.
Life
is so much better when you share laughter. Laughter really is the best
medicine!
References: Web MD, Organic Health, Medical News
