Laughter IS the Best Medicine
Yes! It’s true! Laughter is the best medicine!
Laughter has a myriad of health benefits.
The psychological benefits seem very clear to most people. Laughing releases dopamine, serotonin and endorphins - all the happy hormones that make us feel joy.
It also is known to reduce stress and stress-induced mental and physical health problems. People who laugh a lot have higher statistics of personal satisfaction with their lives and generally have a better mood. Some even benefit from increased self esteem. It has been shown that people laughing together strengthen the bond between them.
While living a happy life is fulfilling enough, there are also many physical benefits as well.
Laughter can increase the heart rate for a short period of time, but then move the person into a relaxed state. People who laugh more are shown to have less heart attacks and less episodes of arrhythmias.
Laughing stimulates the lungs. It increases respiratory rates and oxygen consumption while laughing, but then, like with the heart, the lungs move into a calm state of relaxation. Laughing a lot has been shown to decrease bronchial hyper-responsiveness in people with asthma and COPD, allowing them to breathe deeper.
Laughter can lower cortisol levels in the body, improve the immune system, lower glucose levels, and some people even burn calories.
Laughing decreases pain levels and in some studies has been shown to decrease inflammation in the body.
Laughter IS the best medicine. Let yourself laugh daily to help bring joy and balance to the body, mind and spirit.
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One of my Qigong teachers regularly prescribes Laughter Meditation.
It’s a simple, yet profound practice. Hold your hands on the right side of the lower rib cage. The liver sits just behind it. In Chinese Medical theory, the liver is responsible for processing all the emotions, moving Qi (chi/life force energy) though the whole body, and storing blood. Holding the liver area while laughing, helps move stuck emotions, release happy hormones, and assists in a smooth flow of Qi and blood flow through the body.
Begin laughing. Even if you have to fake it, let yourself laugh: Ha Ha Ha. Laugh for one to ten minutes. If you’re enjoying it so much you can do it for even longer.
If it’s a challenge to really let the laughter flow, start small. Do it for a minute. Most people find themselves truly laughing within that one minute, even if they start faking it.
Try it daily for a couple of weeks and see if you notice any changes. Let me know what you find. I’m looking forward to hearing your responses!
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