Laughter is an act, it is actually a psychophysiological response, which appears from thoughts and emotions when something funny is perceived or imagined. This act begins in the mind, but the benefits of laughter are both physical and psychological.
There are several studies that show this. Now, we are going to explain the main advantages of laughing, some of them are easy to imagine, but surely many of them surprise more than one person.
Benefits of laughter for mental health:
It is a powerful antidepressant: When you laugh, you stop being sad for a moment, if you were before. But the effects of laughing go much further. The mood of a person is subjective, since there is nothing that is funny for everyone. Each person, individually, decides if something is funny or not.
When a person learns to laugh at a situation, this gives him or her a broader view of everyday situations, the environment and the possibilities it offers. Consequently, it changes the way you perceive the world and things. For example, you will face problems less dramatically, you will learn to see them from a distance and to find a solution more quickly and effectively. And that will also make you more optimistic and stronger to face life’s difficulties.
Laughter causes the body to secrete serotonin, the hormone of happiness. The one that helps eliminate anxiety and depression and contributes to a state of well-being.
Reduce or eliminate stress: The endocrine system is responsible for secreting hormones, and this is connected to the brain. When a person laughs, the production of cortisol, the stress hormone, is reduced. Therefore, the person will immediately feel less stressed.
Helps to reduce medication: Laughter helps patients take less medication. This is because when stress is reduced, energy is also discharged, therefore, you have a feeling of relaxation. Among other things, this helps you fall asleep and make it more restful. It is estimated that 1 minute of laughter is equivalent to 45 minutes of meditation, due to its relaxing effects and long-term benefits.
Improve social relationships: Laughing is a spontaneous, authentic, positive act that creates closeness and intimacy with other people. People who laugh frequently are more attractive to others. It helps attract people for longer and spreads your mood to others, so it is easier to be and stay positive.
It spreads easily: in the brain there are a series of hormones called “mirror hormones.” These hormones take on attitudes and behaviors observed by the people around them and a series of mechanisms are activated to imitate them. They are in charge of a person being empathetic. Therefore, when a person is laughing, those around him or her will activate their mirror hormones and they will too.
Benefits of laughter for physical health:
Its effects are compared to those of orgasms: when someone is laughing their temperature rises, their skin turns red, many of their muscles contract intermittently, their breathing quickens, and when they finish laughing they have a feeling of peace. All of this is something you have in common with orgasms.
Improves digestion: most of the muscles involved in this act are in the face and abdomen. In fact, many of these muscles can only be activated like this. Thanks to the abdominal movement, there is a sensation of massage in the area, which favors digestion and intestinal transit.
It is an anaerobic exercise: This may be one of the more unexpected benefits, but the truth is that the contractions and relaxations that occur in the more than 400 muscles involved help them tone up. Plus, it increases blood flow, so that makes it a perfect anaerobic exercise.
Control blood pressure: It should be said that after a few laughs, the body is more relaxed and, therefore, with less blood pressure. If it becomes a habit of life, it helps us protect against some diseases such as hypertension and improve cardiovascular health.
Strengthens the immune system: This is certainly a very interesting benefit. There are many connections between the central nervous system, the endocrine system, and the immune system. Having a positive state of mind prevents diseases, even if you are exposed to them, or if you suffer from them, it improves the prognosis. Thanks to the positivism you feel when you laugh, you will improve your immune system.
Relieves pain sensation and is anti-inflammatory: As we have said before, the brain secretes endorphins, and this improves the feeling of well-being. Something that can be compared to the effects of morphine. Morphine has analgesic effects, which reduces the sensation of pain. Another effect of these hormones is that they are anti-inflammatory. For this reason it is recommended to laugh a lot for those who suffer from chronic diseases such as arthritis.
Improves breathing: When someone is laughing, their body pumps up to three times more air through the lungs, this expands the alveoli three times more than normal breathing. This also helps to oxygenate the skin, making it look better and healthier.
We want to tell you a curious fact about laughter, and it is that faking a laugh has been shown to have the same effects. The brain is not able to differentiate between the false and the true, therefore, both have the same psychophysiological effects that we have mentioned. For this reason, you should not wait to be happy to laugh, you can start whenever you want. It should be a prescription to laugh, for at least 10 minutes every day.