10 Benefits Of Laughter

Laughter is a part of human behavior
regulated by brain, helping humans
clarify their intentions in social
interaction and providing an emotional
context to conversations. Laughter is
used as a signal for being part of a
group — it signals acceptance and
positive interactions with others.
Laughing is a celebration of the good,
and it's also how we deal with the bad.
Laughing, like crying, is a good way of
eliminating toxins from the body. Since
the mind and body are connected, you
use an amazing amount of muscles when
you laugh. Laughter is the best
medicine': we're always being told that,
but there's actually more to a good
giggle than just raising our spirits for a
couple of minutes.
In fact, laughter is a big deal and has
been shown to have many beneficial
effects on human body in different ways.
Just check out these 10 benefits of
chuckling…
Live longer
10 Benefits of Laughter
According to some recent research
published in the Archives of General
Psychiatry, elderly optimistic people,
those who expected good things to
happen (rather than bad things), were
less likely to die than pessimists. In fact,
among the 65-85 year-old study
participants, those who were most
optimistic were 55 percent less likely to
die from all causes than the most
pessimistic people.
Boosts Your Immune System
Boosts Your Immune System
Researchers have found that laughter
actually boosts the immune system,
increasing the number of antibody-
producing T cells. This then makes us
less likely to get coughs and colds. It
also lowers the levels of at least four
hormones that are associated with
stress, so after a good giggle you should
be far less tense and anxious.
Relieves Pain
Relieves Pain
A good chortle has been found to reduce
pain. Not only does it distract you from
aches, but it releases feelgood
endorphin into your system that are
more powerful than the same amount of
morphine.
A British study shows how just 15
minutes of laughter can increase pain
tolerance by around 10 percent as a
result of endorphins being released in
the brain. These endorphins cause
something akin to a natural "high",
leading to pleasant feelings of calm, as
well as temporary pain-relief.
Reduces Depression
Laughter Reduces Depression
Laughter has long been known to help
people who are suffering from the either
SAD or full-blown depression. Laughing
reduces tension and stress, and lowers
anxiety and irritation, which are all
major factors that contribute to the
blues. In a study published in Geriatrics
and Gerontology International, it was
found that laughter therapy reduced
depression in elderly patients by
inducing an feeling of well-being and
improving their social interactions.
Boosts Your Relationship
Boosts Your Relationship
If you're looking to find a new partner,
then laughter will help you find a new
mate. Men love women who laugh in
their presence and women actually
laugh 125% more than men.
And if you're already with someone,
then a shared sense of humour is an
important factor in keeping your
relationship running smoothly.
Social Benefits
Laughter is contagious, so if you bring
more laughter into your life, you can
most likely help others around you laugh
more. By elevating the mood of those
around you, you can diminish their
stress levels, and possibly improve the
quality of social interaction you
experience with them, reducing your
stress level even more!
The more you laugh with others, the
more likely you are to be remembered
for the positive energy and feelings you
bring. Even intimate relationships
improve with laughter, leading to more
happiness and joyful relations.
Internal Workout
Have you had a good belly laugh lately?
A good belly laugh exercises the
diaphragm, contracts the abs and even
works out the shoulders, leaving
muscles more relaxed afterward. It even
provides a good workout for the heart.
Laughing 100 times is the equivalent to
10 minutes on the rowing machine or 15
minutes on an exercise bike.
Internal Workout
Laugh more and more, because laughter
empties your lungs of more air than it
takes in resulting in a cleansing effect –
similar to deep breathing. This is
especially helpful for people who are
suffering from respiratory ailments,
such as asthma.
Helps You Lose Weight
Laughter is a very good physical
exercise too. Burning off calories by
laughing might not sound as if it has
much use, but a hearty chuckle raises
the heart rate and speeds up the
metabolism. If you're dieting, think
about adding laughter to your exercise
regime. A good sitcom might easily keep
you laughing for 20 minutes or more.
Protects the Heart
Laughter
People who laugh a lot on a regular
basis have lower blood pressure than
the average person. When people have a
good laugh, the blood pressure
increases at first, but then it decreases
to levels below normal.
Your heart is a muscle and, like any
muscle in your body, it gets stronger
and functions better when exercised.
Regular laughter is like getting a gym
membership for your heart. Laughter
has been found to benefit the way blood
flows around the body, reducing the
likelihood of heart disease. The research
said that 15 minutes of laughter a day is
as important for your heart as 30
minutes of exercise 3 times a week.

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.