The Importance of Laughter

It’s amazing what a good laugh can do. You could be having an off day and something funny comes up and turns it right. Did you know laughter can actually improve your health? Not only does it help maintain and encourage positive emotional health, it can also strengthen you physically.

Benefits of Laughter

Laughter encourages the immune system – Laughter reduces stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, which helps your resistance to disease.

Laughter boosts your heart – Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.

Laughter may reduce stress – Laugh it off! Laughter has the ability to stop the body’s stress response in its tracks. Laughter studies can cut stress hormone levels down and stress hormones are known to suppress our immune system.

How to encourage more laughter in your life

Make a list of things that make you feel positive or happy in your life. It can be as simple as your plant at your work desk blooming or your cat doing a big stretch. Encouraging positive mental stimulation will help you see the funnier side of life. It’s easier to laugh when you notice the happiness you’ve brought into your life.

Spend time with positive, playful people. People who make you happy and are open to laughter, smiling and joking are people you want to be around, especially when you’ve had a hard day. Watching how someone handles stress and sadness can encourage you to pick up their good habits.

Laughter Yoga – yes, yes. We assure you, it is as awkward as it sounds in the beginning. But connecting with others in the class over fake, forced laughter in the beginning will encourage true, belly shaking laughs. You all know you’re doing something silly – and you’re all in it together!

Local laughter classes and meetups:

http://www.laughteryogacanada.org/vancouver/

https://www.meetup.com/Vancouver-Laughter-Meetup/

References and resources:

https://bodyandhealth.canada.com/channel/family-child-health/overview/ha-laughing-is-good-for-you

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/laugh-and-be-thankful-its-good-for-the-heart-20101124839 https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/laughter-is-the-best-medicine.htm/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-heart/201401/laughter-improves-overall-health-0