Laughter is the best medicine, many of us know about this sentence but the reasons behind the existence of that saying are obscure for most of us. Laughing is more than just a way to express our joy and happiness, your laughter is also a medicine for your body. Today, Illume-eMag will reveal the impressive effects that laughter gives our bodies.
Benefits of laughter #1: Serves as a form of exercise
According to researchers, for every 100 laughs, the effect is equivalent to about 10-15 minutes of exercise on the gym. Not spending hours at the gym but still manage to lose weight, smiling is truly an ideal way of exercise. In addition to the effect of burning energy in the body, laughter also works to clean the respiratory system. Similar to when you exercise, you often take a deep breath after laughing all the way, this breathing will immediately open up the airways, increasing the amount of oxygen inhaled. Because laughter is just as effective as exercise, that’s why you feel exhausted after every good laugh you have.
Benefits of laughter #2: Improve your mood
Next time you feel sad or have a sudden “down in mood,” try smiling. Your mood will probably improve a lot! Smiles, even forced smiles, have the ability to “trick” your body into helping you regulate your mood. Studies show that smiling causes the body to release the hormone “endorphin” – the body’s natural pain reliever – and the hormone “serotonin” – a neurotransmitter that brings feelings of happiness and satisfaction. These natural chemicals lift the mind, relax the muscles, and relieve physical pain.
Benefits of laughter #3: Help lower blood pressure
Your blood pressure will drop and stabilize significantly when you smile. You can test this at home if you have a blood pressure monitor. Sit still for a few minutes and check your blood pressure for the first time. Then, smile for a minute and check your blood pressure for the second time while still smiling. The results measured in the 2nd time will definitely be lower than the 1st time.
Benefits of laughter #4: Reduce stress
Cortisol and epinephrine are stress hormones, suppressing the immune system, creating “opportunities” for the body to become infected with diseases. In addition, physical and mental stress can cause prolactin, insulin, thyroid and other hormones to work improperly, adversely affecting the body’s immune function. Studies have shown that laughing a lot can reduce stress hormones and improve immune function. Not only relaxing muscles, laughter also helps maintain normal blood circulation, improves your mood and oxygen supply to the brain and other organs.