The physical and psychological benefits of laughter

Several studies and investigations have tried to find the influence that laughter has on our mental and physical health. In fact, we are all aware that laughing is something healthy and that it puts to work certain muscles that we rarely use in our daily lives. In addition, laughter also generates certain hormones in our body that provide us with happiness and good humor.

Laughing is a historically recognized medicine

Laughter's ability to enhance our mood is not something we humans have recently discovered. The benefits of laughter have been known for centuries, proof of this are the writings of Plato or Socrates, who they already conceived of human laughter as a source of pleasure.

Own Sigmund Freud, more recently, stated that laughter is an essential key to releasing tension and negative energies. In many cultures, laughter has been an important element in achieving body-spirit harmony, as for example in Hindu philosophy.

From the psychology, laughter has also been considered as a resource to promote the psychological well-being and health of individuals. Its best known form is

Laughter therapy, a therapy based on good humor and the positive effects for our mind that has the healthy habit of laughing.

What exactly are the benefits of laughter?

Laughing is important in our lives. It is a healthy way to keep our body and mind in good shape.

Physical benefits of laughter

• Activate muscles that we do not use regularly. When we laugh out loud, our body is activated and more than 400 muscles move. This muscle contraction and relaxation is what makes laughter itself possible. Laughter causes a level of physical activity similar to when we do running moderate. Have you ever noticed that when you laugh for a long time, your abs can hurt?

• Strengthens our immune system. Laughter causes our body to generate more Immunoglobulin A and T lymphocytes, antibodies that are responsible for fighting viruses and bacteria. This makes our defenses stronger and, therefore, that our health is more resistant.

• Burns body fat. When we laugh, our abdomen and diaphragm contract, facilitating the digestive process, eliminating fat and toxins from our body, and improving intestinal regulation.

• Our body receives more oxygen. Between laughter and laughter, we receive more than twice the oxygen that we breathe in a resting situation. The effort made by our muscles requires higher levels of oxygen in the blood. If you know someone who has fits of laughter, you may have noticed that there may come a time when they feel somewhat suffocated. This may be because her muscles are working too hard, or because she has inhaled too much oxygen, causing the same symptoms of suffocation.

Psychological benefits of laughter

• We release endorphins. When we laugh, we secrete a hormone called endorphin, which is closely associated with the feeling of happiness. The greater the intensity of the laugh, the more endorphin secretion our nervous system generates, and with it, the more sense of pleasure and well-being we feel. In addition, laughter also makes us segregate dopamine Y serotonin, substances that fight some mood disorders such as depression or anxiety.

• A powerful anti-stress. In addition to hormones and their beneficial effect on our mood, laughter also has the ability to activate many muscles that, once we have stopped laughing, relax again. This increases a state of physical and also psychological relaxation. A good way to combat negative thoughts and the emotional drag.

• Improves the functioning of our brainor. Another hormone (neurotransmitter) that we secrete when we laugh is catecholamine, which is involved in the proper functioning of our brain. This neurotransmitter also has the ability to improve our memory, academic performance and mental agility.

• Makes us more sociable. When we share good times with friends or colleagues and laugh in this social context, we are sharing unique and positive experiences, something that improves our socialization. Laughter in common can improve our interpersonal relationships.

• Increase self-esteem. Laughter allows us to put aside the sense of ridicule and take life with good humor and with more relaxation, which can lead to a improvement in our self-esteem.

• Encourage our optimism. Laughter brings us a positive state of mind. When we are in a good mood, it is common for us to generate more positive thoughts. Laughter can help us to relativize difficulties and begin to create a good mental state that leads us towards optimism.

Various conclusions about laughter

It is clear that laughter is one of the best natural therapies that exist. For all that has been explained, philosophy and science are increasing year after year our knowledge about the good humor and its ability to positively influence our health and our state of mind.

So, let's leave the worries of day to day out for a few moments and learn to enjoy everything that is capable of causing us to laugh.