Laughing Your Way to Health and Happiness

Laughing doesn’t receive the attention it deserves. This little natural habit is so important for our health and well-being, but we too often take it for granted. So let’s take a moment to learn about how we can benefit from a bit of laughing and smiling every day.

You might say that our standard of living and the speed at which we now live make us feel stressed and angry. But what benefit does being in this state really bring us? Though the speed of modern life is so fast and many of us feel that we don’t have enough time to laugh and smile (what a convenient excuse!), it is really important to remember life’s simple pleasures, since they can ultimately bring us great benefits in the long run.

Though it’s hard to believe, such a simple thing like laughing – whether that means roaring with laughter or simply smiling broadly at a family member or colleague – can help you deal with painful and difficult situations. Laughing can also help us show the people around us that we are feeling cheerful, happy, or grateful for their presence or actions. It is indeed true that laughter is a biological process which causes the body to release endorphins, and it has been proven that a constant “flow” of endorphins could have a huge effect on our health. Laughter is also an ideal way to improve our personal relationships and above all, the image we show to the world about ourselves. Are you sending bitter, happy, sad, serious or unexpressive messages? You decide.

Reasons to laugh more often

Everything that happens in our body is the result of a wonderful and complex set of psychological, physiological and neurological processes. In the same way that crying and being sad can weaken our system, put us in a bad mood and make life seem meaningless, laughter does the complete opposite! It can even have a direct influence on our immune system, as well as provide you with the following benefits:

• Depressed or anxious?

When we laugh, our body more effectively regulates serotonin, endorphin, oxytocin and dopamine levels, which play a fundamental part in regulating our mood.

• Reduce stress

Stress affects our health so much, weakening the immune system and cardiac tissue. It may also worsen heart problems and raise blood pressure. This is where laughter plays an important role, as it improves our health and strengthens the body.

• Laughter and creativity

When we laugh, the production of catecholamines is stimulated. Catecholamines are substances which keep us awake and our brain in a creative state.

• We become more receptive

Our mood is intimately linked to our emotional state, which is why we can get along with those around us more easily when we are happy. The most important thing in life is, and always will be, to laugh and smile. By doing this, we automatically improve both our life and our health, and our relationship with the outside world. So don’t let the chance to laugh pass you by!