As I was perusing the Internet for some happy inspiration, I came across an article titled, ‘Why Laughing is Good For Your Health.’ Before I clicked on the story to read it, I waited a minute or two and gave the act of laughing some thought. Are any of you surprised that laughing is good for your health? Think about it! You could be in the worst mood, but as soon as something happens to spark a laugh, you instantly feel a bit better. When I’m down in the dumps and something makes me laugh, I instantly feel a weight lifted off my shoulders. It’s amazing that such a simple act has such a positive impact on our emotions.
I clicked the link to read the story. I was really curious what the science is behind laugher and what it does to our overall psyche. The article was written by Dr. Cynthia Thaik, a cardiologist and author. According to her article, ‘ A good laugh can be compared to a mild workout, as it exercises the muscles, gets the blood flowing, decreases blood pressure and stress hormones, improves sleep patterns and boosts the immune system. Furthermore, a study by the John Hopkins University Medical School showed that humor and laughter can also improve memory and mental performance.’
I find plenty of excuses to not make it to the gym, but I sure do laugh a whole lot in my everyday life! It’s amazing to learn that laughing is so beneficial to our overall health. Beliefs of how/why we were created aside, I can’t help but feel as though humans were created for joy. Studies have shown that negative emotions, such as frowning and depression, cause negative physiological responses in our bodies. But positive emotions such as laugher and smiling, are actually healthy for us. Pretty cool, right?
The rest of Dr. Thaik’s article lists some great ways to incorporate more laugher and joy in our everyday lives. My favorite suggestions she makes are to ‘surround yourself with fun people who like to laugh a lot’and ‘get a pet.’ If you read my previous blog post, you’ll understand why ‘get a pet’ is one of my favorite suggestions. :)
So, now that we know that laugher is not only good for the soul, but also for overall health, try making it a goal to add more laugher in your life. You might be surprised by the outcome!
To read Dr. Thaik’s article, click here (link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-cynthia-thaik/laughing-health_b_4519611.html?utm_hp_ref=good-news&ir=Good%20News)