One might say, laughter, it doesn’t need an explanation! who doesn’t feel good when they laugh? I have never heard anyone say, “I will not and cannot laugh because… “. Okay, I have heard that once and it was because someone just had abdominal surgery or has broken ribs. You get the idea. If we are experiencing anxiety, sadness or depression we may not feel like laughing but that would be a great time to do it.
When we laugh it stimulates many reactions in our body. Let’s start with oxygen. Laughter causes our body to take deeper breaths, take in more oxygen. The oxygen stimulates the heart, lungs, and the muscles. Circulation improves and oxygen is provided to all our major organs. Through the process of laughter, endorphins are released from our brain. Those are feel good chemicals!
A quick definition:
“Endorphins are endogenous opioid neuropeptides and peptide hormones in humans and animals. They are produced and stored in the pituitary gland. The classification of molecules as endorphins is based on their pharmacological activity, as opposed to a specific chemical formulation.” Wikipedia
This might just sound like a mouthful of words, mumbo-jumbo, BUT…. When we break it down, it makes sense? The pituitary gland is in your brain. If you went straight up, through the roof of your mouth, keep going, that’s approximately where it is located. “Produced and stored there”, sounds like you can have endless access to a natural gift our body gives us.
In the moment, or short term, laughter provides stress relief, lowers our heart rate and blood pressure. When the oxygen is stimulating the muscles that are stimulating circulation, muscle relaxation occurs and sooths tension. Mayo clinic has information on their website about laughter and how it promotes good health. Long term laughter (endorphins released) even improves our immune system.
If we look even deeper into laughter, it is found to help prevent stress, not just relieve it. Taking it a step further in wellness, there is strong data that shows it can help protect you from more serious health issues. Known facts about laughter and the impact of it socially: it promotes connection with others and can be a great coping mechanism. For an introvert, like myself, that gives me a nudge to be more social.
I want to list other benefits from the endorphins that are released by laughter and other activities
- Mood stabilizer
- Helps with depression, especially when associated with chronic illness
- Reduces low self esteem
- Eases pain because of the natural pain killers that are released.
Other activities that release these same endorphins
- Exercise: this can be running, dancing, horseback riding, yoga
The list goes on
- Joy, participating in things that make you happy
- Sex
- Eating something that you enjoy
- Be in tune with your playful side, your child self.
- Stress or injury can trigger the endorphins as the body’s natural response to protect you and relieve pain. Changing the negative to a positive.
Being positive in your mindset and outlook on life, promotes a healthy body, improving your immune system and helps with healing. Being negative has the opposite effect. Negative thoughts can trigger chemical reactions that decrease the effectiveness of your immune system and increases stress. The negativity can decrease an individual’s hope and drive to keep trying. This promotes isolation.
Here are a few suggestions of things you can do or tools you can use. These are especially helpful when some of the other activities are not an option in the moment
- Keep funny movies near by
- Listen to podcasts that are uplifting
- Read books, magazines or if you are having trouble focusing you can listen to uplifting audiobooks
- Find a way to laugh at yourself, not take yourself so seriously. Know your sense of humor
- Group laughter, have someone randomly start laughing and it becomes contagious
- Know what is funny to you
It is important to not laugh at someone, at someone else’s emotional expense. Making fun of another person or laughing at inappropriate things or times. Not only can hurt others, it is known to decrease your self-esteem. It can cause delayed depression and anxiety.
The purpose of this website is to reach out, to anyone that might find it beneficial. Your ideas and feedback are valued as well. If there are topics you would find helpful, please let me know.
