He-he Healthy

Everyone has a sense of humor, some more than others and definitely all different. Some like to laugh at the everyday tedium and some enjoy a deep guffaw at the slapstick, but all like a good chuckle. All humans, in every society around the world laugh. Babies laugh at a few months old, and even people who are born blind and deaf still laugh. Humans are supposed to laugh; indeed in humans, laughter predates speech by perhaps millions of years.

And there is evidence that just anticipating a good laugh can be as healthful as a full out laugh fest. In a recent study, participants exhibited a reduction in stress hormones when they were told they would be merely be watching a funny video in a few days.

Laughter is good for you!

Laughter can:
• Help you relax. It can relieve tension and help relax muscles
• Improve your immunity by potentially increasing immune cells
• Improve overall heath including heart health by improving blood flow

Laughing at nothing in particular has a strong following in a practice called laughter yoga. Laughter yoga consists of a group of people getting together and laughing for no reason. Well, there is a reason; feeling better and relieving stress. Starting from humble beginnings in India in 1995, there are now 6000 laughter yoga clubs in 60 countries.

So how can you get more laughter in your life? Surround yourself with people and things that make you laugh. Post a particularly funny story or comic on the fridge or somewhere you will see it often. Also try to find the humor in random situations all around you, just use your imagination. Doesn’t your neighbor really look like her dog? Also try to find a way to laugh at yourself. Taking yourself less seriously and chuckling at a minor mishap instead of crying and feeling defeated can do wonders for your perspective and give you the levity you need to handle the small problems and have more energy for the real problems.

Many of the health benefits of laughter may really come from the shared experience of being happy and comfortable in the presences of other people. So find a buddy and laugh today.