Top Reasons to Laugh More Today — Science Explains

Do you ever notice the instant boost of happiness you feel after a good laugh? — How even after a stressful or disheartening day, something or someone who makes you giggle elevates your mood? Everything from a slight chuckle to an outburst of loud and hearty laughter can change the temperature of a room from hostile to welcoming, or change one's mood from gloomy to sunny.

Laughter has many fascinating characteristics, one of which is that it occurs automatically and unconsciously. In this blog post, we will tackle how this spontaneous response can do more good to your mental, emotional, and physical health than you think.

Here are the top benefits of laughing, according to science.

Laughter decreases high blood pressure

High blood pressure manifests through several symptoms, including recurrent headaches, chest pains, difficulty breathing, and vision problems. Moreover, uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to a heart attack or stroke by damaging the brain's blood vessels. According to medical research, at least 20 minutes of laughter can help lower systolic blood pressure by 10 points.

Laughter relieves chronic stress and pain

Chronic stress is associated with some of America's leading causes of death, such as heart disease, liver cirrhosis, cancer, and suicide. The American Psychological Association adds that about 75 percent of men and women who visit physicians seek treatment for stress-related ailments and concerns.

Laughter reduces the stress hormone cortisol and increases infection-fighting antibodies, which improves immune function and resistance to disease. Laughter also stimulates the release of endorphins, otherwise known as the body's natural "painkillers." Endorphins trigger an overall sense of happiness or well-being, as well as temporarily relieves physical and emotional pain.

Laughter boosts cardiac health and physicality

Do you ever hear friends and family say laughing too much makes their stomach hurt? Laughing, believe it or not, is a good source of cardio, especially for people who are unsuited for intense physical activity due to injury or sickness.

Similar to regular exercise, bursting in laughter gets the heart pumping. Scientists show that as little as 15 minutes of laughter a day can burn up to 40 calories, depending on a person's weight and the intensity of the laughter.

In addition, laughing can help tone the abs. It stimulates the muscles in the stomach, allowing it to expand and contract similarly to when you do crunches, sit-ups, and other intended exercises for the abdomen.

Laughter improves your relationships

Laughter not only lowers blood pressure, relieves stress, and protects against diseases, but it is also good for your relationships. It brings people together and plays an important role in strengthening friendships, sustaining romantic relationships, and nurturing family bonds. Not only does it create a foundation for familiarity and intimacy, but it is also an effective tool for managing conflict and subduing tension when emotions are running high.

In many cases, laughter and humor may be the best medicine due to their ability to improve health and wellness. Best of all, this medicine is free and require no complicated instructions.