When it comes to letting go of negativity and feelings of depression, there is nothing quite like the healing properties and benefits of laughter. Having a sense of humor not only helps to make life more fun but the more we learn to laugh at life and at ourselves, the easier it can become to face up to our challenges and overcome times of adversity. It is one of the ways to put back the sparkle into our lives.
The more we laugh, the lighter and freer we feel. Just think about the last time you enjoyed a good old belly laugh. Didn’t you feel incredible afterward? Laughter really is the best medicine. When we learn to take life and ourselves less seriously, we can use our humor as a powerful healer against stress, anguish and a wide range of illnesses. Keep reading to discover the power of laughing therapy and our top 7 health benefits of laughter.
7 Health Benefits Of Laughing Therapy
Whether you believe in the healing power of humor against illnesses or not, practicing laughing more often will leave you uplifted and refreshed; plus, in the light of laughter everything always looks a lot better! So why not throw your head back and let the laughter commence?
Here are just some of the many ways that laughter can heal our spirits, mind, and bodies.
1. Laughter Stops Fear
Laughing offers an extremely effective and fun way of combating fear. When we are made to laugh in the face of what scares us most, it distances us from our fear. Whatever we are afraid of; be it public speaking, revisiting a traumatic childhood memory, a medical scare; when we laugh, at that moment our fear loosens its grip on us.
2. Laughter Relaxes Us
Similarly to exercise, the relaxation benefits of laughter are fantastic. The greater our bout of laughter, the more endorphins and blood we get pumping around the body. This is great for elevating stress and relaxing our bodies.
So, next time you realize that you are feeling tense and stressed out to the max, treat yourself to some deep, body-wracking, explosive laughter! Your body will thank you for it.
3. Laughter Is Comforting
Laughter is known to have the same cathartic effect as a reassuring hug; a warm chuckle or playful joke lets you know that everything is going to be ok, no matter what the circumstances.
When we laugh, we are usually making light of something. In the darkest of times, laughter, therefore, can let people feel as though everything isn’t as bad as it initially seemed.
Hospitals recognize this benefit of laughter, which is why you will often find comedians or circus workers offering to work shifts in the wards of hospitals.
So, whether you are going through troubling times or you know someone, that is, bring out the joke books, film comedies or funny stories of the past – they will prove to be the most amazing source of comfort when you need it.
4. Laughter Boosts The Immune System
There is no more enjoyable way of protecting your health, than with laughter. Medical research has shown that laughter or even the anticipation of laughter increases the immune system’s ability to fight off viruses and foreign cells.
The belief that laughter can help to speed up the healing process is supported by the teachings of the Law Of Attraction, as when we are laughing we are emitting our more powerful positive frequency – aligning ourselves with how we want to feel.
5. Laughter Eases Pain
The feel-good chemicals and hormones that are released around our bodies when we laugh, as well as the positive mind frame that we create for ourselves, can do wonders for easing symptoms of pain.
Recognised by science to help reduce pain, laughter is now even used in hospitals to encourage a quicker recovery from an array of illnesses.
6. Laughter Combats Stress
Laughter is a great stress-buster. Whether we are laughing with friends, on our own or are watching a funny show or film; laughter can provide a much-welcome cure to chronic stress.
Next time you are feeling the stresses of your everyday life, take some time out to do something that makes you laugh. Learn to laugh kindly at yourself and the world, and your reasons for being stressed will immediately begin to look trivial and unimportant.
7. Laughter Is Contagious
Possibly the single greatest thing about laughter is that it spreads happiness! From when we are very young, we often find that when the people around us begin to laugh within minutes we too are doubled over in fits of hysteria. Laughter is one of the most beautiful and fun ways of bringing people together; whether we want it to or not, it connects us with the people around us and allows us to all share in a feel-good moment – building and nurturing relationships, as well as leaving us feeling connected and uplifted.
