Laughing is good for your health

the benefits of laughter

Laugh, it’s good for your health!

Laughter strengthens social bonds and has beneficial effects on our physical and mental health. Do you know why ? Do you know all its benefits?

Laughter is an involuntary mechanical response to pleasant stimulation, whether psychic (like a joke, for example), or physical (e.g., tickling). When we laugh, we ask over 400 different muscles, from the face to the legs. Laughter thus provides the same effects as a form of moderate physical exercise on health, in the same way as gentle gymnastics!

Laughter relieves stress and has antidepressant properties

Do you feel stressed ? Laugh heartily for 10 minutes, you will immediately feel the positive effects on your morale! Indeed, laugh triggers the secretion of endorphins, also called “happiness hormones”, which act directly on stress by reducing the production of adrenaline.
Laughing relaxes the muscles and relieves tension, and thus causes a feeling of immediate relaxation.

Beyond reducing anxiety and stress, laughter acts in depth against the effects of depression. It provides both serotonin and dopamine, which regulate our emotions. Laughter also increases self-confidence. In other words, laughing makes us feel good!

Other health benefits of laughter

• Aids digestion
  Laughing causes abdominal gymnastics, which promotes good regulation of intestinal transit and massages our digestive system, which helps fight constipation.
• Strengthens our immune system
  Laughing increases the production of antibodies, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, and limits certain disorders such as excess cholesterol or high blood pressure.
• Oxygenates the body and allows you to breathe better
  When you laugh, your breathing capacity is 3 times greater than normal. Our whole body is better oxygenated, especially the brain, but also the blood, which will help to clean the cells of our body.
• Relieves pain
  Laughing reduces muscle tension and increases the production of catecholamines, anti-inflammatories with antidepressant properties that act like natural morphine.

GOOD TO KNOW
To keep you healthy, health professionals recommend laughing 10 to 15 minutes per day.

FOR FURTHER
The body does not differentiate between spontaneous laughter and provoked laughter, its physiological and psychological benefits would be the same. This is the basic principle of a particular type of yoga: laughter yoga.
Find our laughter yoga article.

–