Laughter is one of life's great natural medicines. Don't we all feel better after having a good laugh? It's scientifically proven that laughter is a really strong medicine, and results in significant health benefits. Did you know that laughter gives your mood a boost, helps to diminish pain, protects you from the many ill-effects of stress and aids your immune system?
Kids seem to laugh a lot, but as adults we tend to become more serious and laughter becomes less frequent. No doubt everyday stresses and adult responsibilities play a large part in this transition.
Wouldn't it be nice to find ways or opportunities to seek more humour and to be able to laugh more often? In doing so, you're (apparently) on track to improve emotional health, strengthen relationships, find greater happiness and possibly even add years to your life expectancy. And perhaps best of all, laughter - as an invaluable medicine - is fun, free, and user friendly.
When we're in the depths of depression and anxiety it often seems almost impossible to find anything to laugh about. So this thread is a great place to start sharing the benefits of laughter, and providing a place to share what makes us laugh and perhaps discover new ways of bringing laughter back into our lives.
Humour is a highly individual thing. We all laugh at different things, find different things funny. We all have a different sense of humour. Our thinking is different to others, and not all of us always 'get' jokes. I know I often dont.
Sometimes another's laughter in itself is cause for infectious laughter. Even our individual laughs are so different. Have you ever heard some people laughing and all you can do is actually laugh at the laugh itself? Some giggle, some snort, some have true belly laughs ... all very unique and special. All equally beneficial to our mental health and wellbeing. Even 'false' laughter is beneficial to us apparently. So perhaps there is something to be said about 'faking it until you make it' when it comes to laughter?
My research tells me that there are considerable mental health specific benefits to laughter, namely:
- It adds enjoyment to life
- It eases anxiety and tension
- It releases stress
- It improves our mood
- It strengthens our resilience
But mostly ... laughter just makes you feel good. That good feeling you get when you laugh remains with you long after the laughter subsides. Humour helps you keep a positive, optimistic outlook through difficult situations, disappointments, and loss.
Laughter apparently gives us the courage and strength to find new sources of meaning and hope in our lives. Even in very difficult of times a laugh, or a simple smile, can go a long way toward making you feel better. And laughter is so contagious, because just hearing laughter primes our brain and causes us to smile and join in the fun.
At a time I'm badly in need of an emotional boost, I'm looking for ways to find a little laughter in my life. How do we go about finding that though?
Thanks @CherryBomb for opening this thread and also to @Former-Member @Former-Member @Determined @Former-Member for keeping it going. I've had a read through and thank you all for the contributions and for keeping this thread going. I think laughter is a very important aspect in our lives.
Sherry 🤣
