April 14 th is National Moment of Laughter Day, a day to remind us that having laughter in our lives is an integral part of the human experience. Besides feeling great and signaling our happiness, a good laugh can do more for our bodies than you might expect.
Short-Term Benefits
Whether you break out into a laugh when your friend tells a hilarious joke or when you watch a cute dog dance around on the internet, your body immediately experiences a few changes.
Stress Relief
When our brains encounter a positive stimulus like laughter, it releases endorphins – chemicals the brain releases to relieve stress in our bodies. The physical act of laughter increases our heart rate and blood flow, and the endorphins bring us back to a calm state. The process of firing up our systems and then relaxing them in this way leaves us feeling tranquil afterwards.
Pain Relief
The same endorphins that help with stress are also known to relieve or lessen aches and pains in our bodies. A good laugh can temporarily ward off mild discomfort.
Organ Health
Laughter requires air, sometimes more than we typically need! When we gasp for breath after laughing hard, our lungs take in more oxygen than they would breathing normally. This heavy breathing stimulates our hearts, lungs, and muscles in a similar way to cardio exercise.
Long-Term Benefits
Frequent laughter has been shown to have lasting advantages as well. Even if you force yourself to laugh a few times each day, pulling your mouth into a smile and chuckling to yourself will leave your body more relaxed. It might feel a little goofy, but it really works!
Immune System Boost
Negative emotion manifests as chemical reactions in the brain. The chemical reactions caused by negative emotions diminish our body’s ability to fight illness. On the other hand, positive emotions, such as those spurred by laughter, strengthen the immune system through the release of antibodies.
Lower Blood Pressure
Frequent laughter means frequent short-term stress relief and multiple instances of endorphins spreading throughout the body. When our stress levels are low, we tend to have lower blood pressure as well.
Improved Mood
Laughter has some mental health benefits too! A good laugh can help stave off sadness, and a larger number of endorphins in the system can help us feel happier on a day-to-day basis.
To be clear: Laughter alone will not fix any health issues we may experience, but it does contribute to alleviating them. For that reason, it’s worth laughing often and laughing genuinely.
How to Laugh More
It’s no secret we live in tumultuous times, even ignoring the global pandemic. It can sometimes be hard to find things to laugh about, or even find the time. Here are a few ideas of how to bring some laughter into your life if you feel like it’s missing.
Spend Time with Pets
If you have a furry friend, try to carve out some time to play with them and observe what they do. Oftentimes they are a great source of amusement, joy, and unconditional love. If you don’t have a pet, consider volunteering at a shelter or spending time with a friend or family member’s pet.
Host a Funny Game Night
The market of games that are designed to make you and your friends laugh has exploded over the last few years. When it is safe to do so, consider gathering with a few friends and playing games like Cards Against Humanity, Jackbox, or Exploding Kittens. There are countless varieties of games, types of humor, and levels of appropriateness, so they can be entertaining for a wide range of audiences.
Seek Out Comedic Content
Whether your go-to entertainment medium is TV, Netflix, podcasts, or livestreams, try to find shows that you find funny. Netflix and television are full of comedy movies, shows, and even stand-up comedy specials.
The world of podcasts has exploded in popularity in recent years, and there is no shortage of comedians with podcasts or comedy podcasts covering a variety of topics. Similarly, the livestreaming world of Twitch is home to many comedic content creators.
Generally, the longer you stick with a show that you enjoy, the more you’ll pick up on their nuances and inside jokes, which can make them even more funny and entertaining.
Save Funny Pictures
Consider saving memes, pictures, and videos that make you laugh to your phone. Put them into a folder and come back to them when you’re in need of a pick-me-up. These can be pictures or videos you find on a forum, social media pages, or photos taken with friends and family that bring a smile to your face. Your future self will thank you for having them all in one place.
Want to read more about the health benefits of laughter? Check out these articles:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-
20044456
https://www.usa.edu/blog/how-laughter-can-relieve-stress/
