The power of laughter

The conventional wisdom says that “laughter is the best medicine”. And it is true: know its health benefits.

The benefits that laughter brings to our health are scientifically proven. Laughter cause physical changes in our bodies, strengthening the immune system, increasing our energy and protecting us from the harmful effects of stress.

That conveys a general feeling of happiness and can temporarily relieve pain. A good laugh relieves physical tension and the anxiety, making you relaxed up to 45 minutes after the moments of good mood. It lowers levels of stress and increases the number of immune system cells. The heart also benefits, as it improves the functions of the blood vessels.

These are some of its physical consequences, but the act of laughing also brings important advantages the psychological and social level: our mental resistance to difficulties increases, as well as our mood by changing our approach to the problems.

We can take a lot out of laughter, both socially and emotionally. It tightens relations between people, creating a sense of mastery and constitutes a bond of attraction between people in love relationships, laughing as a couple is a strengthening element to the relationship.

But sometimes you are not in the mood for laughing, know that you can find ways to force yourself to laugh, such as playing with your children or with a pet, watch comedy shows, live or at home, or practice fun activities, like karaoke. You can start therapeutic sessions with laughter yoga, for instance.

The good news is that, even if you have to provoke a laugh, the beneficial effects are exactly the same as those of genuine laughter. Our body fails to analyze the authenticity of laughter and measures only the physical reactions that have occurred, so anything that makes your body laugh will have the same positive impact.