Laughter For a Lighter Mind
By: Tanvi Gupta
“Laughter is the best medicine.” A phrase we’ve all heard since birth, since the dawn of time. But what does laughter really do for us? Is it the association of joy that comforts us, or is the act of smiling itself the cure?
Laughter loosens up our bodies. All of the tightness and stress that seeps into our muscles after a long day seems to just evaporate with a genuine giggle. The act of laughing stimulates our organs and muscles by making it easier for oxygen to enter our lungs and encouraging the release of endorphins in your brain. Endorphins are neurotransmitters that reduce feelings of pain, improve mood, and boost self-esteem. Along with increasing endorphin levels, laughter stimulates circulation in our bodies and relaxes our muscles, releasing built-up tension and eliminating many of the physical symptoms of stress.
Laughter has no cost. It’s priceless. Add a little laughter to brighten up your monotonous, everyday life in the form of jokes and fun pastimes. Even forced laughter has been proven to help, with people bursting into peals of laughter when they watch their friends and family give out a little “Ha Ha Ho Ho Hee Hee Hee.” This is precisely the method of “prescribing” laughter that is used in laughter yoga, which you can also incorporate into your daily routine. Feel your body relax after an exhausting day with just a chuckle or two.
But before you click away from this article, I have something to ask you: What do you call a bunch of laughing geese?
A giggle 🤣
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