Laugh
Tip:
Even
better than combating illness after it has set in, why not laugh your immune
system into better efficiency. Laughter bosts the immune system, making
it less likely thatone will get sick.
Laugh
Away your stress:
Laughter
and humor not only imrpove a sick patient's quality of life, but they improve
the quality of everyone's life in general. A good laugh lowers blood pressure,
reduces muscle tension, and improves digestion. The act of laughing causes
changes in your body similar to the changes that occur when you exercise.
Your heart rate increases, as does your breath rate. Plus, certain muscle
groups are activated when you laugh. By laughing you can actually burn
away those extra calories!
When encountering a stressful situation, your body will release hormones called Cortisal Stress Hormones. These hormonses constrict blood vessels making the heart work harder, and suppress the activity of the immune system. When a person laughs, however, the levels of Cortisal Stress hormones drastically drop and the body will return to norman function in less time.
The Ripple Effect:
Under the strain of everyday stresses, laughter can provide a virtually unneccessary psychological buffer. Just by laughing or smiling, one can relieve the tension or stress of a "bad" moment. Have you ever wondered why a person's first reaction in an embarrassing or stressful situation is to laugh? It's a natural reaction of the body to try and relieve the tension of the moment. By laughing about something embarrassing, people replace stress and tension with relaxation and positive feelings.
Person to Person:
Humor forms a universal connection between people. It is easier to share a joke or a smile with a total stranger than it is to just strike up a conversation. Laughter has the ability to put two totally different people on a common ground. It opens the door to conversation and allows people to become more comfortable with one another by sharing a positive common experience.
Replace Caffeine with Laughter:
Pulling an all-nighter? Get rid of the coffeee and caffeine and read the funnies. Laughter triggers the release of catecholamines, hormones that increase alertness as well as communication. Laughter pumps up the alertness of your body and brain. So next time you need to study for that big test, grab a joke book and leave the coffee in the pot.
Laughable
Experiments:
Dr.
Lee Burk conducted a study linking laughter to stress reduction. he tested
a control group and an experimental group using certain stress indicators
after whcih, the experimental group was exposed to humor. The experimental
group showed a decrease in stress indicators while the control group did
not. This supported the statement that laughter reduced stress.