Scientific research has shown that laughter may have both preventive and therapeutic values. Health-related benefits of laughter are mainly reported from spontaneous laughter. While the human mind can make a distinction between stimulated and spontaneous laughter, the human body cannot. Either ways, our body gets benefited from each moment of laughter and happiness we experience. It is one of the fastest ways to bring your mind and body into perfect balance and achieve inner peace. It is a free medicine which has several health benefits like reducing pain, stress, boosting immunity, energizing the system and healing our inner self.
Laughter and Heart Health
"The old saying that "laughter is the best medicine, definitely appears to be true when it comes to protecting your heart", says Michael Miller, M.D., director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center and a professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. "We don't know yet why laughing protects the heart, but we know that mental stress is associated with impairment of the endothelium, the protective barrier lining of our blood vessels. This can cause a series of inflammatory reactions that lead to fat and cholesterol build-up in the coronary arteries and ultimately to a heart attack."
A good laugh can relax muscles; improve the function of blood vessels in the body hence increasing blood flow. This can help protect one against cardiovascular diseases and may ward off a heart attack!
How Are Laughter And Health Related?
-- Lowers blood pressure.
-- Increases vascular blood flow and oxygenation of the blood.
-- Helps relax muscles of the body and improve their functionality.
-- Reduces certain stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.
-- Increases the response of tumor- and disease-killing cells such as Gamma-interferon and T-cells.
-- Defend against respiratory infections–even reducing the frequency of colds
-- Increases memory and learning
-- Improve alertness and creativity.
-- Strengthens relationships.
-- Improves teamwork
-- Improves state of mind.
Laughter Equals exercise
Many studies have shown that laughter increases our heart rate as much as a cardiovascular exercise does. William Fry, a pioneer in laughter research claimed that it took him 10 minutes to achieve the same heart rate on a rowing machine as he did in a minute of hearty laughter.
According to a small study conducted by Maciej Buchowski, 10-15 minutes of laughter can burn as much as 50 calories. But don’t find this as an excuse to miss your gym session! If we calculate taking this fact into account, one would require 12 hours of concentrated laughter in order to lose a pound of weight.
How To Bring Laughter And Health Together
-- Laugh together. It helps promote unity in a group and strengthens relationship bonds.
-- Take some fun time out for yourself. Play a fun sport or game with family and friends.
-- Join a laughter group at your nearest club or park.
-- Watch a comedy show or movie.
-- Play with children
-- Catch up with some old memories. Watch an old video or your childhood pictures.
-- Enjoy some fun time with your pet.
Laughter therapy has proved to be a healing remedy for millions of people across the world and it starts with a simple smile. It spreads like a sweet infection much faster than a cold but has various health benefits. It’s worth it to engage yourself in a hearty laughter more than often!