Laughter and Our Health

"Having a sense of humor can come in handy!"

For hundreds of years, it has been acknowledged that "Laughter is the best Medicine". Breakthrough medical research is shedding new light on the physiological beneficial effects of humor on health. A sense of humor can come in handy, whether it's for dealing with an illness, the pressures of daily living, stress, coping at work even, humor can dramatically change the quality and outlook of our lives. Humor is an easy way to get in touch with your feelings, and control them in difficult situations.

But you must know that laughter is not the same as humor. Laughter is simply the physiological response to humor.

Laughing makes us feel good for a reason. The physiological effects on our body do some pretty amazing stunts. For instance:

• Laughter appears to reduce levels of certain stress hormones, and growth hormone. Laughter provides a safety valve that shuts off the flow of stress hormones and the fight-or-flight compounds that comes into action in times of stress, rage or hostility. Stress hormones suppress the immune system, increase the number of platelets (which can cause obstructions in arteries), and raise blood pressure.
• Laughter boosts the Immune System. When in a state of mirth, natural killer cells that destroy tumors and viruses increase, as do Gamma-interferon (a disease fighting protein), T-cells, which are a vital part of the immune response, and B-cells, which make disease-destroying antibodies. It also increases the concentration of salivary immunoglobulin A, which defends against the entry of infectious organisms through the respiratory tract. Laughter basically brings balance to all the components of the immune system.

• Laughter can be an total body workout!

  Blood Pressure is lowered, and there is an increase in vascular blood flow, and an increase in oxygenation of the blood which further assists healing.
• Laughter may lead to hiccuping and coughing, which will clear the respiratory tract by dislodging mucus plugs.
• Laughter also gives your diaphragm and abdominal, respiratory and facial, leg and back muscles a workout. So basically laughter is an all over body workout. You can have fun, keep fit, and stay healthy in one easy step! Just Laugh!
• There also has been some belief that laughter may help prevent some life-threatening diseases such as heart disease. Anger and fear, are two common emotions, which are frequently responsible for the cause of heart attacks.

Do you often feel exhausted after a bout of contagious giggling? This is because you have just had an aerobic workout.