‘A giggle a day keeps the doctor away.’
This popular saying is more than just an old wives’ tale. From reducing anxiety to activating your stress response, laughing out loud has several amazing benefits for your health.
Laughing your heart out not only boosts your immune system; it can also act as a form of therapy for people who are dealing with anxiety and depression. According to the former director of psychology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, laughter helps people with depression manage their situation. This statement is supported by Datillo, a psychology instructor at Harvard Medical School’s Psychiatry Section, who added that laughing is a free and simple type of meditation without any side effects or harmful effects on someone’s health or body.
Based on a theoretical study on the therapeutic benefits of laughter, laughing helps you release endorphins, which can help with chronic pain and improve your mood. These endorphins, released through laughter, can reduce tension and introduce a relaxing condition to the body.
Moreover, giggling can also activate infection-fighting cells and organs by reducing stress hormones. Every time you laugh, more oxygen is shared into your lungs, which improves your cardiovascular organ’s ability to pump blood that is enriched with oxygen through the rest of your body.
With so much strength to heal and relax, laughing is there to ease the inhibitions that you have in your mind. When you tend to laugh more, it’s easier for you to think of the best solutions to the root cause of your dilemmas.
Aside from that, good laughter with your family and friends will give you a sense of comfort and introduce you to the soothing feeling of belongingness. Laughter is the secret element of a positive and harmonious relationship with your loved ones. The joy of laughter is better when you have people with whom you can share this activity.
With the healing power of laughter, you can face the world again after the dark episode that you’ve endured.
These tremendous benefits just prove that laughter is the best medicine, so you should laugh more to ease the pain that you’re dealing with.
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