Laughter is indeed the best medicine in the world. Laughing is good for both mental health and physical health. Be it a small laugh, giggles, or a good belly laugh, the benefits and impact of even a smile is wide-ranging. Here are the top 7 health benefits of laughter.
1. Improves the Immune System
Stress is directly associated with the immune system. When you’re stressed, the body decreases the production of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that attacks bacteria, viruses, and toxins. Laughter decreases stress hormones and also improves the production of lymphocytes.
2. Relieves Pain
Laugh releases endorphins, popularly known as feel-good chemicals. Endorphins are more powerful than morphine, a medicine used to treat severe pain. Many studies proved that laughter increased pain tolerance after watching comedy shows.
3. Good for the Heart
When you laugh, you release stress and tension, which in turn reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Laughter also increases blood flow and oxygen, so it overall improves your heart health. In short, laughter is like an exercise for your heart.
4. Abs
Can you get abs from laughing? Yes, laughing helps you to get abs. Laughing is not only a good exercise but also a good internal workout. Many scientists say belly laughs are the best exercise to tone your abs than sit-ups.
5. Lowers Blood Pressure
Laughter is the best way to lower blood pressure. Blood pressure is directly related to the stress hormone. So a good laugh will give you a positive impact on blood pressure. In a small study, participants were allowed to watch a 20 minutes humor clip video. After watching the video, participants were found with lowered blood pressures and cholesterol.
6. Burn Calories
Just 15 minutes of laughter helps to burn 10-40 calories. However, it depends on the weight and intensity of your laugh. If you lose 10-40 calories in a day, you can lose 4lbs in a year.
7. Improves your Mood
Apart from physical health benefits, there are also various mental health benefits of laughing. Here are a few –
- Stimulates organ
- Releases stress
- Relieves stress
- Spreads positivity
Overall, laughter relaxes your body, reduces stress, and gives you a positive mindset that automatically helps you live longer.
Laughing is contagious, so make sure to share your laughter with everyone around you 🙂
