There are numerous benefits of smiling and laughing you should definitely know about, especially if you’ve been feeling a little bit down lately. Laughing and smiling are among the easiest ways to improve your health, your mood and even to boost your successes. A thing that should get you smiling right away is the fact that by doing this very simple thing you can support your immune system, you can stimulate your organs and you can even reduce pain. “You don’t stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing.” This is actually one of my favorite quotes! Here are a few benefits of smiling and laughing that you should always consider:
Among the most important benefits of smiling and laughing is the fact that they are actually the perfect way to relieve stress and forget all about that tension you’ve accumulated during the day. By laughing, you can significantly reduce your cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and you will get rid of those unpleasant feelings of nervousness or anxiety. I couldn’t agree more with this famous quote by Audrey Hepburn, who said: “I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it’s the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It’s probably the most important thing in a person.”
If you didn’t know this already, negative stress can cause some chemical reactions in your body that will decrease your immunity, thus affecting your overall health. Your body is more relaxed when you smile or laugh and this will boost your immune system, protecting you from all kinds of illnesses. Studies show that laughter can increase the “levels of salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA), an important antibody that fights bacteria and infections, especially those in the respiratory system”.
When you smile, your body releases some neurotransmitters called endorphins which are triggered by the movement of the muscles in your face. These chemicals are responsible for our happy mood and they also lower our stress levels. So, even when you mess up, try to laugh at yourself, no matter how bad the situation is because this way, you will feel better in an instant and you will be able to focus much quickly on finding the solution to your problem.
One of the most important benefits of smiling and laughing is the fact that sometimes they can even ease pain by causing your body to produce its own natural painkillers. Smiling and laughter are especially effective in managing pain for those people who suffer from chronic pain and who have to deal with this problem on a daily basis. Laughter is also known for breaking “the pain-spasm cycle common to some muscle disorders”, so why not give it a try if you have to face a this kind of problem.
I love this famous quote by Victor Borge, who said that “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.”. You do know that laughter is contagious so, by allowing yourself to giggle all the time, you will surely boost your social skills and improve your confidence. By smiling more often, it is more likely to draw people to you rather than push them away because you will help them feel good in your company, making you at the same time a more attractive and appealing person to be around.
By laughing or smiling more often you will be able to reduce your blood pressure and improve your blood flow, thus allowing your heart to function without overworking. Laughter will also enhance your intake of oxygen and it will increase the endorphins that are released in your body, thus making it a very powerful ally in the fight against heart disease.
You could definitely say that smiling and laughing are the perfect exercise because according to researchers “laughing 100 times is equivalent to 10 minutes on a rowing machine or 15 minutes on the stationary bicycle”. This is quite impressive, right? It’s the perfect way to burn those unwanted calories and it’s so much fun too!
There are so many wonderful benefits of smiling and laughing but I just mentioned a few in this little article. Do you know any other amazing benefits of this pleasant behavior? Please tell us about them in the comments section!
Sources:
lifehack.org
lifehack.org
sunwarrior.com
dsc.discovery.com
mayoclinic.com