Who doesn’t love a good laugh? I certainly do. In fact, I thrive on laughter most days. Whether it is giggling over that daily dose of online cuteness, or having a hearty guffaw with friends over a meal, laughter is one of the most enjoyable things to do. But besides being so much fun, laughter brings a lot of bonus benefits.
If you are wondering why laughter is so important, there are many reasons, not the least of which is better health. Which is why you keep hearing the line: laughter is the best medicine. It is!
Here are at least 7 reasons to Laugh
Relieves Tension and Eases Stress Levels
Normal stress is okay, but did you know stress can actually be a trigger factor for death? Those who experience high amounts of stress or face it on a daily basis are in more danger of developing stress-related disorders such as depression. Those who suffer from depression are at greater risk of committing suicide. In a number of reports, AASRA says 50 percent of our workforce is afflicted with stress, of which 30 percent complain of an upset stomach or nausea as a result of stress. Laughter relieves stress.
Strengthens Your Immune System
IndiaDiets talks about Laughter Therapy as a viable course of treatment for those who suffer from stress and other anxiety disorders. In addition, laughter can do wonders for your lung capacity, increasing oxygen levels in the blood and lowering the chances of you catching a potentially life-threatening asthma attack or succumbing to a nasty bout of bronchitis. Sweet!
Releases Endorphins in Your System
Another positive benefit laughter has on your body is inducing your brain to release endorphins. Endorphins give you that happy buzz, giving you that wonderful, satisfied feeling. I can vouch for that! A good belly laugh does more than any medication can achieve!
Prevents Suicides
Suicide estimates from AASRA point to a devastating conclusion. By 2020, suicide rates could hit—if not be well over—1.5 million. WHO Assistant Director-General Dr. Catherine Le Gals-Camus of Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health stated that death by suicide was, by far, the leading cause of death compared to homicides and wars on a global scale. How sad!
Helps You Develop a Positive Attitude
Laughter helps you gain a more positive attitude toward life. It’s surprising how a sincere smile can change the dynamics of a situation. If you lead with a smile, people are more likely to be in an agreeable frame of mind when you deal with them. That’s why a shared moment of amusement or laughter goes a long way to breaking the ice when you meet with people for the first time. Even a fake smile works better than no smile at all.
Makes Time Pass Quickly
Waiting in line? A bit too early for an appointment and you’ve got an hour or two to kill before you head over to your meeting? Well then, why not spend your time reading funny pages online? I have a Gujju friend who adores Gujarati Jokes I usually translate this page to get my laughs) When I have minutes or hours to kill, instead of letting my impatience get the better of me, I spend the time reading something funny or gut-wrenchingly hilarious. No surprise that the hours go by quickly. This is why one of P G Wodehouse’s books has permanent residence in my tote.
Boosts Your Mood
Feeling down? Laughter is a great way to get you right back in the mood. When you feel sad, anxious or out-of-sorts, when you feel like things couldn’t get any worse, an easy way to break through all the anxiety is to laugh it all off. Easier said than done, right? However, studies from worldwide institutions like the Mayo Clinic say that laughter is effective in reducing depression and anxiety.
So, dear folks, make it a habit to laugh! Life is too short to frown. If you need a trigger, just go watch a video of babies laughing.
Because life is truly better when you are laughing.
7 comments
I love Wodehouse 🙂 Such clean humour and guaranteed belly laughs. I wish more people would laugh out loud and smile more. Think of how much better a place this could be 🙂 Have a happy, laughter-filled and glorious weekend, Vidya. Hugs <3
Shailaja recently posted…Helping the forgetful child: Lessons for the parent
Particularly these days, Shailaja – I get the feeling people just don’t have the time to enjoy good humor. I mean, there are jokes and forwards and WhatsApp overload -but no conscious time off to truly savor the happy feeling. Too much on-the-go -ness. 🙂 Wodehouse – ah! My man. I am also lucky to be married to someone with a fab sense of humor. Wishing you a fun weekend too! Thank you.
Vidya Sury recently posted…Hug and be happy
Agree agree Vidya. It’s a pity laughter is so underrated in India. With the kids around there are plenty of reasons to laugh. Actually kids themselves laugh at the silliest simplest things and it’s easy to join in.
Obsessivemom recently posted…Grandmas and green chickpeas
The many moods and moments captured by laughter. We laugh very less in this stress prone world and high time to laugh at our own antics.
Vishal Bheeroo recently posted…Filmfare Awards & Me
I can’t see how someone could not laugh every day. I can laugh at many things especially myself. What you wrote is so true and I wish people would do this more. I see people laugh but they actually don’t mean it. They laugh because they feel they need to but they go quickly back to their sadness. My personal youtube favourites are animals
Birgit recently posted…Lavender and Hearts and signing up!
Great Article! Thanks for sharing this post.
Amazing post! Thanks for sharing this useful information.