Laugh, Laugh, Laugh - The Benefits Are Many
http://successandlife.com/articles/72743/1/Laugh-Laugh-Laugh---The-Benefits-Are-Many/Page1.html
Joey Ng
By Joey Ng
Published on 06/24/2009
If there's one thing you should do today to boost your wellbeing, it's
have a good laugh. It feels good to laugh and benefits you in many
different ways. This article will look at those many benefits and offer
tips to ensure you get more laughter in your life.
Laugh, Laugh, Laugh - The Benefits Are Many
This self help article about happiness is appealing for those interested about this topic
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If there's one thing you should do today to boost your wellbeing, it's have a good laugh. It feels good to laugh and benefits you in many different ways. This article will look at those many benefits and offer tips to ensure you get more laughter in your life.
Physiological benefits
Many studies have looked at the benefits laughter brings to the body. When we laugh, it triggers the part of the brain known as the nucleus accumbens, which in turn releases the chemical dopamine. When dopamine is released, mood is increased. Furthermore, laughter helps release muscle tension in our bodies helping us to relax. It affects the diaphragm, abdominal muscles and shoulders.
Laughter is good for the heart, which is also a muscle. Research found that watching a funny movie improves blood-vessel function. Such change helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. It can also help lower blood pressure. In addition it can bring a boost to the immune system, therefore helping to keep illness at bay. When we laugh there is increased production of immune cells and gamma interferon which serve to raise immunity.
In 1979 Norman Cousins prescribed his own laughter therapy which involved watching episodes of the Marx brothers and Candid Camera. He suffered from ankylosing spondyliti (which inflames the joints and the spine) and found the therapy not only reduced his pain but also decreased inflammation. According to Cousins, laughter releases endorphins, which help relieve pain. Presumably then it can aid people who suffer from chronic pain.
Some research has suggested that laughing burns more calories. Laughing out loud at a comedy was shown to burn 20% more calories and increased heart rate compared to watching a run of the mill documentary.
Laughter can be a great antidote to stress. When we are stressed, the hormone cortisol enters the bloodstream. If left unmanaged (i.e. you remain in a stressed state), it can cause problems, including: high blood pressure, lowered immunity and blood sugar imbalance, which can lead to diabetes. However, laughter has been found to lower cortisol levels.
Psychological benefits
As we have seen, laughter is a great way to reduce the physical symptoms of stress. It also helps us out psychologically and is a great way to relieve tension. Being able to laugh at life, yourself and your situation, puts you in a better position for coping. It can even help prevent burnout for people in highly demanding jobs, such as health care professionals working with terminally ill patients.
Having laughter in your life can act as a buffer against the reality that life isn't always great. Research found humour was associated with a return to life satisfaction for those who had suffered physical illness. It may also aid recovery from depression. Recent research at the University of Utah found that recently bereaved spouses who experienced more humour and laughter in their lives had a better adjustment to their loss, suffering less grief and depression as a result.
Being able to laugh at yourself and the mistakes you make helps you recognise that when mistakes happen they are not the end of the world. Seeing the lighter side of life really helps put things into perspective. Life cannot be all bad if there is still something to laugh about. It can help a person rise to a challenge, rather than be defeated by it. Not surprising then, it is an indication of good self-esteem. You are able to put your guard down and allow people to see that you are open to having fun. Also, you are not worrying about what other people think.
Overall laugher offers a person greater wellbeing and sense of control. It can help a person recognise that life and its difficulties aren't being forced on them.
Social benefits
Laughter is a social thing. Although you can sit and watch a funny film on your own, it is always a pleasure to laugh with friends and share jokes and funny stories. The great thing about laughter is it is contagious. You laugh, others laugh. So many people can benefit from what started out as one person's chuckle. Not surprisingly, laugher can help lessen conflicts - providing people are laughing together rather than at the expense of another.
Laughter can help bring people together. Research by Fraley and Aron supports this idea. Pairs of strangers worked together either on a task that brought about laughter, or on a more serious task. Afterwards, the strangers who had laughed together liked their partner more and felt closer to them.
Humour also plays an important role in the workplace. It can bring enjoyment and increase feelings of cohesion. It can bring colleagues closer as they laugh about issues that only those who work there would understand. Importantly, it can help release tensions that have been building within the work environment for some time.
Tips for injecting regular laughter in your life
You shouldn't really need these tips, as everybody knows how to laugh. Yet sometimes life can get a bit much, so it's always good to be aware of laughter opportunities.
Laugh at yourself. This may not be easy, but life doesn't seem nearly as bad when you are able to do this. You don't have to be disparaging, just when you mess up, say something silly and so on. You will feel more confident when you don't take yourself or life so seriously. Let your defences down for a moment and laugh instead.
Go see a comedian.
Don't laugh at other people's misfortunes. Instead, reach out and help them.
Don't be afraid to laugh out loud in public. Don't stifle your laugh. Worried people will stare at you? Who cares - think of the benefits that laugh offered. Remember laughter is contagious.
Laugh with others rather than at others. It is important to make this distinction. Making a fool of another in order to get a laugh is not the way forward.
Look for the lighter side of a situation. Even if you don't share it with others, be aware it is there.
Make someone laugh. Make an effort to cheer up a friend or family member. Look for opportunities to bring a smile to a child's face.
Try some laughter yoga. This is a relatively new concept that combines the benefits of laughter with the benefits of yoga. Classes are available in 60 countries.
Read websites that make you laugh.
Read light-hearted books.
Watch your favourite comedy.
Share funny memories with your friends and family.
When you have a bad start to the day, laugh about it with others. Don't let it ruin the rest of your day.
The next time you are at home ill, stick a comedy on. It'll help past the time, raise your spirits and you may get better sooner.
Don't be a grouchy boss. Employees appreciate humour in their managers and work more effectively as a consequence.
Humour is a personal thing. As such, you can be the one who decides what comedies are funny and which comedians make you laugh. Don't waste your time watching something that only irritates you, believing you should find it funny.
As you go about your day, keep a look out for funny things to make you and other people laugh. It can change how you perceive the world.
Copyright Julia Barnard 2009
Julia Barnard is a professional counsellor living in Adelaide, Australia. She provides an online counselling service through her website http://www.makethechange.com.au. To get more happiness tips on your homepage or website, she has created a google gadget.
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If there's one thing you should do today to boost your wellbeing, it's have a good laugh. It feels good to laugh and benefits you in many different ways. This article will look at those many benefits and offer tips to ensure you get more laughter in your life.
Physiological benefits
Many studies have looked at the benefits laughter brings to the body. When we laugh, it triggers the part of the brain known as the nucleus accumbens, which in turn releases the chemical dopamine. When dopamine is released, mood is increased. Furthermore, laughter helps release muscle tension in our bodies helping us to relax. It affects the diaphragm, abdominal muscles and shoulders.
Laughter is good for the heart, which is also a muscle. Research found that watching a funny movie improves blood-vessel function. Such change helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. It can also help lower blood pressure. In addition it can bring a boost to the immune system, therefore helping to keep illness at bay. When we laugh there is increased production of immune cells and gamma interferon which serve to raise immunity.
In 1979 Norman Cousins prescribed his own laughter therapy which involved watching episodes of the Marx brothers and Candid Camera. He suffered from ankylosing spondyliti (which inflames the joints and the spine) and found the therapy not only reduced his pain but also decreased inflammation. According to Cousins, laughter releases endorphins, which help relieve pain. Presumably then it can aid people who suffer from chronic pain.
Some research has suggested that laughing burns more calories. Laughing out loud at a comedy was shown to burn 20% more calories and increased heart rate compared to watching a run of the mill documentary.
Laughter can be a great antidote to stress. When we are stressed, the hormone cortisol enters the bloodstream. If left unmanaged (i.e. you remain in a stressed state), it can cause problems, including: high blood pressure, lowered immunity and blood sugar imbalance, which can lead to diabetes. However, laughter has been found to lower cortisol levels.
Psychological benefits
As we have seen, laughter is a great way to reduce the physical symptoms of stress. It also helps us out psychologically and is a great way to relieve tension. Being able to laugh at life, yourself and your situation, puts you in a better position for coping. It can even help prevent burnout for people in highly demanding jobs, such as health care professionals working with terminally ill patients.
Having laughter in your life can act as a buffer against the reality that life isn't always great. Research found humour was associated with a return to life satisfaction for those who had suffered physical illness. It may also aid recovery from depression. Recent research at the University of Utah found that recently bereaved spouses who experienced more humour and laughter in their lives had a better adjustment to their loss, suffering less grief and depression as a result.
Being able to laugh at yourself and the mistakes you make helps you recognise that when mistakes happen they are not the end of the world. Seeing the lighter side of life really helps put things into perspective. Life cannot be all bad if there is still something to laugh about. It can help a person rise to a challenge, rather than be defeated by it. Not surprising then, it is an indication of good self-esteem. You are able to put your guard down and allow people to see that you are open to having fun. Also, you are not worrying about what other people think.
Overall laugher offers a person greater wellbeing and sense of control. It can help a person recognise that life and its difficulties aren't being forced on them.
Social benefits
Laughter is a social thing. Although you can sit and watch a funny film on your own, it is always a pleasure to laugh with friends and share jokes and funny stories. The great thing about laughter is it is contagious. You laugh, others laugh. So many people can benefit from what started out as one person's chuckle. Not surprisingly, laugher can help lessen conflicts - providing people are laughing together rather than at the expense of another.
Laughter can help bring people together. Research by Fraley and Aron supports this idea. Pairs of strangers worked together either on a task that brought about laughter, or on a more serious task. Afterwards, the strangers who had laughed together liked their partner more and felt closer to them.
Humour also plays an important role in the workplace. It can bring enjoyment and increase feelings of cohesion. It can bring colleagues closer as they laugh about issues that only those who work there would understand. Importantly, it can help release tensions that have been building within the work environment for some time.
Tips for injecting regular laughter in your life
You shouldn't really need these tips, as everybody knows how to laugh. Yet sometimes life can get a bit much, so it's always good to be aware of laughter opportunities.
Laugh at yourself. This may not be easy, but life doesn't seem nearly as bad when you are able to do this. You don't have to be disparaging, just when you mess up, say something silly and so on. You will feel more confident when you don't take yourself or life so seriously. Let your defences down for a moment and laugh instead.
Go see a comedian.
Don't laugh at other people's misfortunes. Instead, reach out and help them.
Don't be afraid to laugh out loud in public. Don't stifle your laugh. Worried people will stare at you? Who cares - think of the benefits that laugh offered. Remember laughter is contagious.
Laugh with others rather than at others. It is important to make this distinction. Making a fool of another in order to get a laugh is not the way forward.
Look for the lighter side of a situation. Even if you don't share it with others, be aware it is there.
Make someone laugh. Make an effort to cheer up a friend or family member. Look for opportunities to bring a smile to a child's face.
Try some laughter yoga. This is a relatively new concept that combines the benefits of laughter with the benefits of yoga. Classes are available in 60 countries.
Read websites that make you laugh.
Read light-hearted books.
Watch your favourite comedy.
Share funny memories with your friends and family.
When you have a bad start to the day, laugh about it with others. Don't let it ruin the rest of your day.
The next time you are at home ill, stick a comedy on. It'll help past the time, raise your spirits and you may get better sooner.
Don't be a grouchy boss. Employees appreciate humour in their managers and work more effectively as a consequence.
Humour is a personal thing. As such, you can be the one who decides what comedies are funny and which comedians make you laugh. Don't waste your time watching something that only irritates you, believing you should find it funny.
As you go about your day, keep a look out for funny things to make you and other people laugh. It can change how you perceive the world.
Copyright Julia Barnard 2009
Julia Barnard is a professional counsellor living in Adelaide, Australia. She provides an online counselling service through her website http://www.makethechange.com.au. To get more happiness tips on your homepage or website, she has created a google gadget.