Laughter may not be the best medicine, but it’s still a
pretty good one. Scientists have spent years studying laughter, and studies
still show a good dose of laughter has great benefits for your body.
Here are seven health benefits of laughter:
Relieves pain
True laughter releases endorphins. One effect of the release
of this hormone is that it increases pain tolerance. One study had participants watch 15 minutes of a
comedy show in a group. Their pain tolerance increased 10% more than before the
laughter. For those who watched a comedy show alone rather than with others,
their pain tolerance also increased, but it was slightly less than 10%.
Increases your chances of getting pregnant
A 2011 study showed women going through in vitro
fertilization were 16% more likely to get pregnant when
entertained by a clown than those who did not have the clown encounter.
Helps your heart
A good guffaw is healthy for your heart. It helps your heart
by increasing the amount of oxygen in your blood and kicking up your heart
rate. It also decreases arterial wall stiffness–a link to
cardiovascular disease.
Boosts your immune system
Laughing can help you stay safe from viruses by improving
your immune system. Laughing releases more anti-infection
antibodies to help protect your body from infection.
Makes you happier
Laughing helps lighten your mood. It can lessen chronic depression and anxiety as well
as make it easier to cope with challenging situations.
Reduces stress
Your body releases cortisol when you’re stressed. Because
it’s known as the stress hormone, cortisol gets a bad rap, but it plays an
important role in the body. It helps manage blood sugar levels, reduces
inflammation, manages metabolism, and triggers the fight or flight response in
your body at critical times. But too much cortisol and your body feel that
stress.
Laughter is one of the ways your body can help regulate cortisol. Laughing
increases your oxygen intake, which stimulates body circulation and decreases
your cortisol levels. Some studies show that just the act of
laughing—without having humor in it—can have positive stress-relieving effects.
Relaxes your body
Stress causes your muscles to tense up. Laughing can help
relieve stress because it relaxes your muscles. A good laugh can relieve your
muscles of extra stress for up
to 45 minutes because it stimulates circulation.
Taking a self-care break and finding things that entertain you can feel like a
luxury, but for the sake of your health, it’s essential. Even 15 minutes a day
to do something that makes you laugh could help you live into retirement. Or, if nothing strikes you as
funny, just force a fake laugh and see what happens.