Embrace the Healing Power of Laughter
Written by: DeAnn Winn
April 5, 2024
Laughter is not only a pleasant experience; it is also a good way to improve your emotional well-being. Let’s start your journey to discover how laughter can be a new way for you to improve your mental health and identify easy ways to incorporate more laughter into your life.
Benefits of Laughter: A Natural Brain Boost.
Here are ways laughter improves mental health.
Reducing Stress: Have you ever been in an argument, and everyone involved started laughing and the tension immediately broke? Laughter during an argument can cause everyone involved to take a moment and understand each other. Laughter reduces cortisol and adrenaline, the body's stress hormones.
Boosting Mood: When you laugh, your body releases endorphins, which are the feel-good chemicals in our brains and can improve mood and reduce anxiety. Endorphins can improve feelings of sadness and hopelessness.
Strengthening Connections: Laughter in a social setting has also been found to be beneficial. Laughter in a social setting, whether it be with a partner, friends, family work setting, etc. has been found to strengthen connection with others. Some research even indicates that laughter in a social setting can increase trust.
Building Resilience: Resilience is our ability to bounce back from challenges we experience in life. Laughter has been shown to create a more positive outlook on life, which is helpful when dealing with challenging situations in life.
Tips for Welcoming More Laughter into Your Life: Let the Fun Begin!
Now that we have uncovered the amazing benefits of laughter, let’s look at ways to increase opportunities for laughter in our daily lives.
Watch a Comedy: Watch a funny movie or sitcom series to boost your mood. Do an internet search for comedy movies or sitcoms you have not seen and then save them on your streaming service, so they are ready when you need them. Are there movies or sitcoms you have already watched that have made you laugh? Add these also to your list.
Spend Time with Friends: Do you have a friend or friends who make you laugh? Laughter is infectious, so surround yourself with friends who have a great sense of humor and call on them when you recognize their humor could be helpful when you are feeling stressed, depressed, and/or anxious.
Try Laughter Yoga: Yes, there is such a thing as laughter yoga. Laughter yoga is an exercise that involves extended periods of hearty laughter. If your local yoga studio does not offer laughter yoga, search YouTube and you will find free laughter yoga videos.
Read a Funny Book: Curl up with a humorous book to reduce stress and improve your mood. Reading is also a mindfulness activity. If you like to read, do a Google search on books will make you laugh and you will find many lists.
Take a Laughter Break: Whenever you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, take a few minutes to indulge in some sort of humor. Whether it is watching funny TikToks, Reels, or YouTube Shorts, reading something funny on the internet, or asking someone to tell you a joke, can help you relax, reducing stress and overwhelm and giving you time to get more perspective.
Your Journey to Better Mental Health Begins with a Laugh
In conclusion, laughter is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance your mental health. By being intentional about incorporating more laughter into your daily life, you can reduce stress, improve your mood, strengthen relationships, and boost your resilience. So, embrace the therapeutic benefits of laughter, and start laughing your way to better mental health! If you would like to discuss more about how you can incorporate laughter in your life to improve mental health, give us a call at 217-203-2008 or email info@champaigncounseling.com.
References:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/laughter-is-the-best-medicine.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4779443/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/everyday-resilience/202207/humour-pillar-resiliency