Posted September 8, 2010 - 10:36am by Tracy
A good laugh really is the best medicine
When was the last time you had a good laugh? Not just a polite chuckle at a cocktail party joke or an offhand remark by a coworker, but a good, belly-rippling, tear-inducing laugh? If it’s been a while, maybe you aren’t aware of how healthy a hearty laugh can be.
According to many studies, it turns out that the old saying is true — laughter really is the best medicine. It has physical and mental benefits, boosting the immune system and creating a positive attitude. In fact, there are many new ways in which the power of laughter is being harnessed for health.
Swedish Covenant Hospital offers patients and employees laughter yoga as a therapy. It is currently used as part of a comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation program, was recently mentioned in a New Yorker article (subscription required for full text) about the liberating, transformative and healthy benefits of laughter.
The idea behind laughter yoga is to start the physical act of laughing — which involves deep breathing and muscle relaxation — to trigger the physiological and psychological benefits that come with laughing from genuine humor. Your body cannot differentiate between real and fake laughter, so in laughter yoga, the simulated laughter quickly turns into real laughter – and all the health benefits that come with it.
Laughter naturally has many emotional benefits, but it also physical benefits. Laughter:
Strengthens the immune system
Stress has proven to depress the body’s immune system. By combating stress and improving blood flow throughout the body, laughter can actually boost the number of infection-fighting antibodies within your system.
Improves blood flow
The increased breathing that occurs with laughing expands the oxygenation of your body’s blood. This increases the amount of blood flowing to healthy tissue, enhancing the blood supply to important organs like your liver, kidneys and adrenal glands.
Acts as a natural antidepressant
Promoting relaxation, laughter effectively fights depression and anxiety by boosting your body’s production of serotonin, a natural antidepressant.
Assists in controlling high blood pressure & heart disease
Though there are many factors that contribute to these conditions — including heredity, obesity, smoking and excessive intake of saturated fats — stress has long been acknowledged as a major factor. Laughter helps to control blood pressure by reducing the release of stress-related hormones and bringing on relaxation.
Lowers blood sugar levels
A recent study of 19 people with diabetes looked at the effects of laughter on blood sugar levels. After eating, the group attended a tedious lecture. On the next day, the group ate the same meal and then watched a comedy. After the comedy, the group had lower blood sugar levels than they did after the lecture.
So don’t hold back. Have a good, hard laugh — either real or fake — and start reaping the benefits.
List of benefits source: The American School of Laughter Yoga
“Give Your Body a Boost — with Laughter” originally printed in the Summer 2007 issue of Well magazine (the pre-cursor to WellCommunityChicago.org) covered this topic.
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