Laugh For Health

What is the very best way to increase your health in every aspect? The answer is laughter. The old cliché, “Laughter is the best medicine” is actually a true statement. Laughter has been shown to affect not only physical health, but social and mental as well. Laughter is the number one most effective and enjoyable way to improve your health. Think about of the times when you have gut-busting laughter. These are times when you are surrounded by the people you love. Laughing builds connections with those around you. When you laugh, the lungs and the abs also get a great workout. Here is how laughter affects the three types of health.

Physical health-Laughing will make you feel better physically be releasing endorphins. Endorphins are the “feel-good” chemicals of the body. Laughter has also been shown to strengthen the immune system because it encourages the production of antibodies. When you laugh, you can feel your abs and lungs tighten. This is basically a workout for the lungs because of how repetitive laughter can be. When the lungs are worked, it increases overall blood flow to the heart and even the brain.

Mental Health- Laughter actually affects our mental health in a very big way. Laughter is a great way to improve your mood while relieving stress and even fear. The positive endorphins that laughter produces leads to emotional balance. This leads to not only a better mood, but better thoughts. Laughter can change perspective and make you think more optimistic. Laughter also gives a sense of safety.

Social Health- Laughing helps improve social health by strengthening relationships. Not just relationships with your crush, but with your family and friends as well. When people are laughing, it is much easier for them to express their feelings easier. This leads to stronger relationships with those around you. Strong relationships lead to a feeling of connectivity between people. This connectivity is a huge part of social health.

So, according to this, laughter is the best way to increase your overall health. As seniors, we should be laughing as much as we can. We are slowly approaching that time where we will be branching off into the adult segment of our lives. That transition may not be filled with as much laughter as it could. So today, we should be laughing with one another, strengthening the bond between the people that we have grew up with. Time is short, so we should be enjoying the time we have with one another, and we can be getting healthier at the same time.