Laughing is one of the best natural “medications” for relaxation. Scientists have proved that laughing can reduce stress and consequently improve your health. Some studies have found that simply the thought of laughing has a positive effect on our body chemistry.
What happens when we laugh? Laughing causes our brain to release endorphins, which increase feelings of pleasure, wellbeing and make our muscles relax. Endorphins are produced in our body to reduce pain, it is also produced when we exercise and when we have an orgasm. Positive thinking also releases endorphins.
Dr. Michael Miller, from the University of Maryland School of Medicine conducted a study in which two groups of people were examined after watching two different types of movies, one laugher-provoking movie and another movie that produced mental stress. Comparing both groups, he found out that laugher is related to “healthy function of blood vessels”, as it caused them to dilate, increasing blood flow. The group who watched the stressing movie presented narrowing of their blood vessels, which reinforces what previous studies have showed that stress is harmful for your health.
In another study he used three hundred volunteers, in which half of the sample had suffered a heart attack or had had a coronary artery bypass surgery, the other half of the group did not have heart disease. The results of the study showed that people with heart problems responded more seriously, with less humor to daily life situations compared to those who have a normal cardiovascular system. It is known that heart diseases are the number one cause of death among man and women in the US. “The recommendation for a healthy heart may one day be exercise, eat right and laugh a few times a day.”
There are also studies being developed which show that laughing is also good to help improve your immune system, however further studies are necessary in this area.
When we observe children, we realize that humor is connected to enjoying life. Children will laugh at anything, while adults think that they need a reason to laugh. For them, having fun is just a part of their life.
Here are some tips to help you relax:
• Do not take things too seriously, search for humor at work, home and daily life
• Laugh with kids and pet
• Read jokes
• Watch comedy shows
• Choose comedies instead of stress producing movies
To learn techniques to relax and to be healthier, join the group “Enlighten your Life” (in English) or “Aclare su Vida” (in Spanish).
For more information contact Jackie Tome at [email protected] or (309) 269-6345.
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