Have you smiled today? We sometimes forget that laughter is the best medicine. But it's true. Laughter is healthy. And these 13 reasons to grin more will convince you to pull up the corners of your mouth more often.
Laughter is not only beautiful, it also makes you beautiful. Nevertheless, adults laugh far too little. On average, children smile 400 times per day while adults only 15-20 times a day find a reason to laugh. Sad, isn't it?
Why is that? Have we forgotten how to laugh? Is there less reason for adults to laugh? Not really, there are enough reasons to smile now and then. We have just forgotten to be attentive enough.
By the way: the field in which scientists research our smiles is called Gelotology. They are investigating how our grins affect our physical and mental health.
May 6 reminds us every year not to forget to laugh. May 6 is in fact World Laughter Day!
Table of contents
We have many reasons to laugh
There are many forms of laughter. Grinning, laughing with the best friend to a stomach ache, light smile, a pity smile, embarrassed pulling up the corners of the mouth.
Or a cheerful and warm welcoming smile when we open the front door. An embarrassed smile when we make a mistake. An apologetic smile that puts an end to grievances or a humorous book that makes us smile.
There are many, many reasons to smile. So much so that many studies have been conducted on laughter - and this soon developed into a yoga discipline in its own right - if you want to know more about it, take a look here "These are the best laughter yoga exercises!“
Researchers and laughter yoga therapists differentiate between various stimuli that make us smile.
The emotional stimulation occurs through positive basic mood - this is the typical laugh we have on our lips when we are on vacation, or thinking about the last vacation. All positive and beautiful memories count towards this.
The cognitive stimulation makes us smile when someone tells a good joke. Or a moment when a special comedy situation arises.
And then there are motor excitation. It makes us laugh when we are tickled. By the way: the surprise effect is particularly important here.
13 wonderful reasons why laughing is healthy and to smile more often
I find "Laughter is healthy"is already a great reason to smile more. But a beautiful smile can do so much more than "just" have a positive effect on our health.
1. laughter makes happy
Already when you pull up the corners of your mouth (forced) the brain recognizes: "You are happy". This releases happiness hormones and you feel happy and relaxed.
So you can also trick yourself a little bit. Maybe when you're sad or things aren't going so well.
2. laughter is healthy, because it strengthens your immune system
Laughter is healthy, because when you laugh heartily, substances are released that Strengthen immune system. So especially in the cold months you should laugh a lot.
A great Girls' night out By the way, even a sourpuss can't help but laugh. There is laughter until the belly hurts. :)
3. smile makes you attractive
No matter who you ask. Most people want their future partner to have a sense of humor. There's a reason for that. You are just automatically attracted to humorous people who laugh a lot.
A laugh is the most beautiful makeup that a woman can wear. And honestly, it is much cheaper than all the makeup. And you can't do anything wrong with an honest smile. In contrast to make-up, there are unfortunately many faux pas. Smiling is simply always in fashion.
Even laugh lines are subconsciously seen as positive. People who have wrinkles next to their eyes are seen to laugh often and heartily. They are perceived as more intelligent and attractive.
4. laughter reduces stress
When you have stress, it can help to simply laugh. Because that releases fewer stress hormones and loosens the tense muscles. And the stressful situation is no longer so bad.
Knowing this can be very helpful when we are once again are in a bad mood for no apparent reason.
5. smile is contagious
You know those people who just have to start giggling and the whole room laughs along? This contagious laughter is brilliant and connects people. You can't escape it at all, you just have to laugh along.
Also strengthens collective laughter the bond in the group and welds together.
6. smile lowers your blood pressure
More Laughter = lower Blood pressure. It's as simple as that. Laughter is healthy is also especially true for people who suffer from high blood pressure.
7. smile makes you younger
You want to look youthful? The best way to do that is through humor. People who laugh radiantly have been proven to be perceived as younger. The many muscles that are used when laughing also help with a younger appearance.
8. laughter is a natural drug
You know those laughing fits that make your stomach hurt afterwards? For a short time, feelings similar to those after taking cocaine can be triggered here. That's because laughing stimulates the same regions in the brain as drug use.
Fortunately, laughter is healthy, unlike cocaine. :)
9. laughter can prolong your life
Laughter promotes blood flow and dilates blood vessels. As a result, the risk of heart disease decreases. And that can definitely prolong your life.
10. laughter increases energy
When you laugh, your body gets a lot of new oxygen. This gives you a real energy boost. Especially in stressful times more oxygen in the body can good against stress help
11. laughter makes slim
A really hard laugh also uses some muscles in the body. A true abdominal workout so. And much more pleasant than some abdominal exercises.
12. smile is sympathetic
If you laugh, you look like a sympathetic person. No matter what language barriers exist, laughter is understood everywhere. Smiling people are more popular and better regarded socially. A genuine smile can often make all the difference. Whether at work or in private life.
13. laughter reduces pain
A nice, honest laugh releases natural painkillers in the body. A kind of instant aspirin :)
What happens in your body when you smile?
At Laughter will be circa 17 Muscles in the face needed. There are more than 100 muscles in the entire body. Because during a real laughing fit, our body is doing hard work. When the brain receives a laughing stimulus, many regions are involved, from the face to breathing to the body itself.
Laughter is healthy because it improves our whole body captured. We move our heads and sometimes even bend over laughing.
When we laugh, we open our mouths and let out much more Oxygen into our bodies than normal. We breathe in deeper and longer and exhale relatively short.
Especially the Pectoral muscles and our diaphragm is activated when we laugh. The bronchial tubes dilate and the ventilation of our lungs is significantly improved. Laughing causes more oxygen to enter our bloodstream. This is even said to have a positive effect on fat metabolism.
Muscles throughout the body relax when we get a real laughing fit.
Many people tend to breathe far too shallowly. However, this encourages anxiety. This is why deep breathing while laughing is so wonderful and stress-relieving.
Exciting things happen in the brain when we shed tears from smiling so much. Our brain slows down the production of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisone. So we simply smile stress away. In the same breath, serotonin is released - the happiness hormone ensures that we immediately feel better.
The immune system also becomes more active when you laugh. The number of antibodies increases and the activity of the "disease-killer cells" rises.
Why we should laugh together more often
It's often hard to laugh alone. Unless you find a cute cat video on Facebook. But we usually only get a real laughing fit in company.
Laughter is healthy because it has a great psychological as well as physical effect. Psychologists even describe laughter as a lubricant for communication. It simply works better with a smile.
Laughing together is a signal of solidarity. People who are not sympathetic to you, you give at most a smile that is a little contemptuous. You laugh heartily only with friends and family.
Can I learn to laugh?
Unfortunately, many people forget how to laugh properly. But that can be learned. Again. If you practice often then your habits can change in the long run.
A great way to laugh in the Group learning is Laughter Yoga. The advantage is that you are sitting in a group of people who are strangers to you. This makes it easier to laugh.
Under the guidance of a laughter yoga teacher, you perform exercises together with the others. These exercises are a mixture of breathing and physical exercises and funny laughter sounds. They are usually so funny anyway that you have to laugh along with them. If you go to laughter yoga often, you will find it much easier to laugh in everyday life.
Of course, you can also learn to laugh by exposing yourself to extra funny situations. Either by consciously reading through a joke book, watching funny YouTube videos or going to a cabaret.
Learn to laugh is actually just a matter of habit.
Our conclusion:
The phrase "Laughter is healthy" can therefore definitely be classified as true. And quite honestly, laughing so hard that your stomach hurts is a lot of fun. So, what are you waiting for? Whether it's about an everyday situation or a funny cat video. There's always something to laugh about.
Have fun with it ;)
To browse further:
* Advertising & affiliate links: Our website is financed by advertising and affiliate links. As a partner of linked stores (e.g. Amazon) we earn from qualified sales.
Read more