The Healing Power of Laughter
Do you make a point to laugh every day?
Scientific evidence is mounting for why “laughter is the best medicine.”
A recent article on the Mayo Clinic website lists the following benefits of laughter:
Short-Term Benefits
Laughter stimulates your heart, lungs, and muscles, and increases your brain’s release of endorphins (one of the feel-good hormones).
Laughter fires up and then cools down your stress response, which leaves you with a good, relaxed feeling.
Laughter relieves tension by stimulating circulation and aiding muscle relaxation.
Long-Term Benefits
Laughter improves your immune response by promoting the release of neurotransmitters that help fight stress and illness.
Laughter relieves pain by prompting the body to release its own natural painkillers.
Laughter makes it easier to cope with difficult situations and helps you connect with other people.
Laughter improves your mood.
Laughter is one of the easiest, most efficient, and most fun things you can do for your physical, mental, and spiritual health.
What makes you laugh?
Make a list of ways you can increase laughter in your life, such as spending time with people who make you laugh, watching funny movies and TV shows, playing with children and/or animals.
Consider checking out laughter yoga, where you do fun, silly, laugh-on-purpose “exercises.” The laughter can feel forced at first but quickly turns genuine. Free classes are offered online and in person.
After all the stresses and challenges of the last year, you can do your body, mind, and spirit a great favor by intentionally increasing laughter and joy in your life.
Please take good care of your precious self. Our world needs your gifts of kindness, empathy, and creativity now more than ever.
Hugs,
Liz
P.S. I’m a life coach for heart-centered women. I help you achieve your goals by creating a safe space where you can calm your sensitive nervous system and create a new story for your life. Hit reply to schedule a free Discovery Call.
