There are so many class wives tales that turn out to be untrue. There is one, however, that demanded enough scientific experimentation and analysis to be accepted as truth. If your parents or grandparents have told you that laughter is the best medicine when you weren’t feeling well, your parents are probably like mine. Like most people, I used to shrug off the notion that laughing was actually going to heal me when I was sick. I’m very excited to say that I was so wrong. Laughter has significant physiological effects on the body that are therapeutic and aid in the body’s recovery.
You laugh when you find something to be funny. Of course, by laughing, a person combats stress in their life. Laughter creates a cocktail of benefits for the body. Laughing increases oxygen intake, stimulates many organs such as the heart, lungs, and muscles, and causes the brain to release endorphins. The stimulation of organs cause by laughter increases circulation and helps muscles relax, which helps calm physical symptoms of stress. Laughter is complimentary to positive thoughts, which release neuropeptides that boost the immune system (“Stress Relief from Laughter? It’s No Joke.”).
In contrast, hormones released by stress have dire consequences on the body: suppressed immune system, artery obstruction, and raised blood pressure. There are cells that have the sole purpose of finding and destroying viruses and tumors in the body. During laughter, the number of these cells (T-cells and B-cells) dramatically increases.
Nothing is better than laughing. Do you have laugh so hard that you feel like your abs are sore as if you just did sit-ups? Yea, me too. On top of the creation of stress-suppressors, laughing works muscles like any workout. In “How Laughter Works”, Marshall Brain relays that laughing 100 times is equivalent to spending 10 minutes on the rowing machine or riding an exercise bike for 15 minutes. The muscles that are worked include, but are not limited to, the diaphragm/abdominal, lungs, legs, back, and facial muscles (Brian).
I just got off the phone with my Mom, after apologizing for never taking her seriously when she preached the benefits of a good laugh. Turns out she knew what she was talking about. My only regret is this blog post is not funnier, so I could have spread some healing to my audience.
Works Cited
Brain, Marshall. “How Laughter Works.” HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks.com, 1 Apr. 2000. Web. 24 Oct. 2014.
“Stress Relief from Laughter? It’s No Joke.” Healthy Lifestyle. Mayo Clinic, 23 July 2013. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.
I really liked this post! I am someone that laughs at everything even hours after it was said I still think about it and start laughing again. I think when you are upset and they try to get you to laugh it really does help. Here is an article about stress management and how laughter is encouraged to reem health benefits.
http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/laughter.htm
Your Mom was definitely right! Laughter does wonders! I have heard that even the simple act of smiling (even if its not genuine) can make you happier. My dance teacher used to force us to smile while doing extremely hard dance moves and they actually did become easier! I wonder if smiling is a third variable in the fact that laughing makes you happier (because you smile when you laugh). Here’s an article about smiling! http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/smile-it-could-make-you-happier/
I am a huge advocate that laughing something off is the best way to handle it! I loved this post. I have been surrounded by people my entire life, especially at college, that get so caught up in their own stress that they could arguably be the most unpleasant people. I completely understand that college is a time to work hard but it is also a time to make new friends and have fun. I believe people who get so worked up over one assignment restrict their selves. According to the University Health Services across the country, there are ways to better manage one’s stress. Have a look! https://www.uhs.uga.edu/stress/
I found your post really interesting! Laughter is definitely a medecine. Several studies have be done and all of them showed that laughing may expand life span. Also, laugher is consider as an exercise. Some people practice laughter yoga.http://www.examiner.com/article/laughter-may-extend-lifespan-by-keeping-blood-vessels-elastic.