Laughter Therapy

It doesn't get much easier than this, a few good chuckles and you're on your way to better health.

Extensive research has been done on the correlation between laughter and an individual's health, and overwhelming the findings support the possibility that laughter IS the best medicine. And that's no joke!

Due to the therapeutic advantages of laughter it is easy to understand why laughter therapy, also called humor therapy, has emerged as a growing trend in providing people with a healthier lifestyle.

Laughter Benefits

Although reviews are mixed on the findings of laughter therapy research, Robert R. Provine, professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and author of Laughter: A Scientific Investigation, says that the most convincing health benefit he's seen from laughter is its ability to dull pain. Numerous studies of people in pain or discomfort have found that when they laugh they report that their pain doesn't bother them as much.

Over the last few decades studies on laughter have provided other interesting insights into the emotional and physical benefits of laughter therapy.

Immune response: Increases in stress can be associated with decrease in immune capability. Some research has shown that the level of infection fighting antibiotics in the body and the level of immune cells may be boosted through the use of humor.

Blood circulation: Researches at the University of Maryland have conducted studies on laughter and the effects that watching either drama or comedy have on blood vessels. People who watched drama tended to have restricted blood flow, due to tensing of their blood vessels. On the other hand, the blood vessels remained much the same on people who watched comedy.

Blood sugar levels: A study of diabetic patients looked at the effects of laughter on blood sugar levels. On one day the group ate a meal and then attended a lecture. On the next day the group ate a similar meal and then watched a comedy. The group had lower blood sugar levels after watching the comedy than they did after attending the lecture.

Physical workout: Laughter exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abdominal muscles and even provides a workout for the heart. Additionally, a good laugh will provide movement in the neck, shoulders and arms, thus relaxing those muscles.

Stress reduction: Laughter is not only a physical release, but an emotional one, as well. Since laughing is a distraction it takes focus away from negative feelings, such as anger, pain, fear, quilt, and stress.

Social interaction: Laughter is a universally understood language that connects people. This common connection with others can help reduce stress between individuals and ease stressful encounters within groups.

Weight loss: Individuals who are able to laugh regularly are less likely to suffer from the four major causes of overeating: stress, boredom, depression and loneliness. A happier, lighthearted outlook on life often brings about healthy dietary changes.

Because of the wide range effects of a good laugh, the importance of laughter and healing is becoming readily embraced by the medical community and laughter therapy is increasingly used for patients who are ill and those recovering from an injury or surgery.

How to Laugh

Laugh and the world laughs with you.
Weep and you weep alone.
                                        Ella Wheeler Wilcox, 1883

...a proverbial truth passed down through the generations. But, how do you get yourself to the point where you can laugh more? With practice, and eventually it becomes habit.

Increase sense of humor: Try watching comedies on television or rent a funny movie. Do you get the comedy channel? Did you know it existed?  Pick up a book of jokes or just do an online search for your favorite types of humor, you're likely to get at least a few chuckles. Create some workplace humor by telling a joke or two. Even if your joke doesn't generate a laugh your joke telling skills may. Learn to laugh with others and you may be surprised at how contagious laughter becomes.

Become more lighthearted: Easier said than done in many cases. However, throughout the day try to think about a few of the good things in your life, or a humorous event that recently happened. This will help distract you for a few minutes from negative thoughts and feelings. This may take practice, but over time you'll find that you can more easily "escape" into a happier place and see things through a brighter prism.

Laugh at yourself: Don't beat yourself over the head with the frying pan when you've messed up. Take a lesson from your mistakes and move on. Life is too short to keep reliving the past. Tell a friend about your stupid mistake and laugh with them.

Become more social: Even if you're a loner, human interaction can create a healthier outlook on life. Make eye contact with people you meet while running your everyday errands, smile at them, say hello. Studies have found that people who feel connected are more likely to be happier and feel more self confident.

Facts about laughter: We may not know why we laugh but we do know it's a free and easy way to reduce stress, relieve pain associated with many diseases and illnesses, decrease insomnia, exercise internal organs, relax muscles, improve circulation and promote weight loss. At least that's what many laughter research studies are suggesting. So, why not join in the fun?

What if you still need help learning how to laugh more often? Laughter therapy clinics and studios are popping up all around the globe and offer varying forms of therapy including laughter therapy yoga. Check it out; you may have access to a good laugh in your own community.

Mark your calendar, World Laughter Day is customarily celebrated on the first Sunday of May every year. World Laughter Day was created in 1998 by Dr. Madan Kataria, founder of the worldwide Laughter Yoga movement. The first World Laughter Day gathering took place in Mumbai, India with 12,000 people joined together in a mega laugh session.