When did you laugh heartily the last time? Probably on a joke you read online, or a meme. In the digital world, all our emotions are centred on our phone screens. No, that is not bad at all. On the contrary, we can find happiness with a few taps on our mobile phones. But, there is this thing. The online world not only makes us laugh and have fun but also increases our stress through negativity, cyberbullying and adverse news. If you want to have a good laugh regularly, it is essential to maintain a balance between the online world and real life.
Of course, we are not here to discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the internet. We are here to know how laughing affects our mental health. It is a stress reliever, no doubt, but do you know that it keeps your heart in good form too? Yes, when you laugh more, your heart rate increases, thus causing you to inhale more oxygen. Now, it is needless to mention the benefits of an oxygenated heart, right? Well, if you are still curious, more oxygen circulated through the body decreases the risks of heart attacks.
This apart, when you are angry, toxic, stress hormones cause inflammations in the body, as well as muscle spasms that reduce the efficiency of the heart. Laughing lowers the release of these hormones, thus boosting your heart health.
Coming back to mental health, a good laugh has the following benefits:
It releases anxiety
Having a good laugh, something that makes your abdomen hurt and brings tears to your eyes will lower your anxiety levels more than a strenuous work-out session. No wonder it is used in some mental health therapies. It is even said to reduce emotional and physical tension related to adverse incidents in life. For example, if a witty friend turns your break up the episode into a humorous incident, you may feel bad at first but will not be able to stop grinning. You may even start feeling much better and positive about the entire thing. Try it; it helps.
It prevents depression
If you have a friend, colleague, or family member, who likes to make people laugh, you will never go into depression when you are with the person. It is because laughter and exercise both help release psychological stress. You may even find that laughing does it better and faster than exercise. Yes, and that is the only reason why most girls these days prefer their partners to be witty. Humour has become one of the desirable qualities of eligible men. Well, this is not to say that only men can be humorous. Wit does not have any gender discrimination for God’s sake.
It helps you socialise
Laughing together strengthens the bond one shares with another person or group. When you share a laugh, you get attached to the person more. In a group, which is otherwise quite serious, try to instigate some laughter. You will notice the change immediately. The group members will feel more connected to each other and enjoy their time together. Hence, laughing helps make the socialising way easier.
When laughing in a group, make sure you have good, healthy-looking teeth to prevent embarrassment. Brush them regularly with an organic toothbrush (they kill bacteria) and floss with charcoal or corn floss (they clean better) to have a bright set of healthy teeth. It will add to your social image as well.
Can you laugh by yourself?
Not always do you need someone to make you laugh. You can do that yourself without any help. Watch funny videos on the internet, read comics, play with your pets, or you may even fake laughter like they do at the laughter clubs. There is a reason why comic shows have laughing people in the background after each dialogue. Hearing others laugh trigger laughter too. So the next time you feel upset about something, start watching funny videos on the internet or read memes, jokes. Yes, use the resources you have to uplift your mood.
So let’s just laugh more and spread happiness, shall we?
