The Benefits of Humor and Laughter

Using humor and laughter is one of the healthiest ways to break your state of mind when you are feeling unhappy or stressed. Laughter brings about positive emotions.

Norman Cousins who was stricken with a crippling and life threatening collagen disease followed a regimen of inducing positive emotions by having daily doses of belly laughter to stay healthy. He used laughter as a medicine and he lived on until the age of 75.

Laughter produces endorphins which work as natural pain relievers. When a nerve impulse reaches the spinal cord, endorphins are released which prevent nerve cells from releasing more pain signals. Scientific research has reported that laughter lowers blood pressure, strengthens cardiovascular functions, reduces stress hormones, boosts immune system, and produces a general sense of well being and many more healthy benefits.

Where to Get Your Daily Doses of Humor and Laughter

Watch comedy films.

"I made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give me at least two hours of pain free sleep. When the pain killing effect of the laughter wore off, we would switch on the motion picture projector again and not infrequently, it would lead to another pain free interval." - Norman Cousins

Watching comedy films are hilariously amazing and entertaining. The amusement from the roles, expressions and characters will make you to chuckle, laugh and burst with positive energy.

Spend an evening at a comedy club.

Stand-up comedians have ways to interpret almost any issue that is common and normal to something hilarious. Spending an evening listening and watching them increases your endorphin levels, relaxes your mind, and thus changes your mood.

Include joke books and comics as reading materials.

You read the newspapers daily. Add jokes and comics as additional reading materials to entertain and bring the smile. Having one handy is a good tool to use whenever you need to alter your states of mind from negative to more upbeat.

Laugh with someone.

Regardless of whether you are at work, at home or in a social gathering, laughing together creates a better bond in relationships. Families and lovers who enjoy good laughs together enjoy a healthier lifestyle.

Laugh at yourself.

More importantly, humor lightens up you life and gives you an inner coping strength. Being able to laugh at yourself allows you to take yourself less seriously when things do not work out as you have expected.