· By S. S. Coulter
Enjoy Yourself! 5 Awesome HEALTH Benefits of Laughter
This week, I started my new passion, God’s Dad Jokes – focused on showcasing the joyful side of our Lord. One of the reasons this is so important to me is because having joy is a gamechanger, and I want to provide ways to bring cheer and laughter into people’s lives. Now, we all know we feel better when we are happy and laughing, but did you know there is scientific evidence that laughter is actually good for your physical, mental, and emotional health?
Here are 5 benefits of laughter!
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Stress Relief – When you are laughing, the stress hormone cortisol, which puts tension on the heart, is reduced. And a good laugh can also reduce tension in the rest of your body by relaxing your muscles.
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Immune System Boost – Yes! Your giggling increases antibody-producing cells in your blood and enhances the effectiveness of your t-cells (white blood cells that help protect your body from infection).
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Pain Reduction – You laugh, endorphins are released! Since they are the body’s natural pain killers, this leads to temporary pain relief. That is so amazing to me.
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Cardiovascular Health – My favorite type of workout is when I laugh so hard I break a sweat and my stomach muscles hurt! First off, you burn calories (check out this study in which people reduced their body weight, BMI, and stress from laughing).
In addition to burning calories, your heart and breathing rate increase, causing more oxygenated blood to flow through your body. This improved blood flow is great for your heart.
- Mood Booster – How can you remain sad when you’re laughing? Laughter changes the levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin in the body while also increasing the release of endorphins. This can reduce feelings of depression and anxiety, leading to an overall improved mood and making it easier to deal with difficult situations. And…people also are drawn to you when you laugh. Connecting with others over a good laugh definitely improves your mood.
I think it is wonderful when the things we naturally like to do provide us with health benefits (probably how He intended it…😉 ) So tell a few jokes, watch a funny show, and call that one friend with the contagious laugh. ENJOY YOURSELF! It’s good for you!
More on the benefits of laughter:
7 Powerful Benefits of Humor for Kids’ Development
The Health Benefits of Laughter by verywellmind
Laugh it up! 5 benefits of laughter for older adults by UCLA Health
The health benefits of humor by Mayo Clinic