Psychological Benefits of Laughing

Humor and laughter can be contagious between people and increases happiness. Laughter could be considered a medicine that a doctor cannot prescribe, but that every person has access to. It is a free resource available to people to help relieve ailments, both psychologically and physically. Laughter can even help build relationships. A person does not necessarily have to laugh out loud to enjoy its effects; it is just the happy feeling that really creates the benefits.

Emotional

• Laughter reduces stress and can inspire hope in people when they are feeling overwhelmed. Endorphins are released through laughter into the brain and these endorphins make people feel good and provide an overall sense of well-being. Laughter is helpful for people who are suffering from depression or anxiety and it can also increase a person's self-esteem. Sharing laughter with others can increase a person's feeling of acceptance and self-worth.

Social

• When people share in a good laugh they are brought closer together. Laughter can enhance people's relationships and help them to create new friendships. During stressful events, laughter can actually unite people and help them cope with the event. Sharing in a humorous event and sharing a good laugh can create lasting memories for those involved. These memories can provide a great bond between friends and families. Laughter is important in all relationships including: work relationships, family and marriage.

Other Benefits

• Physically, laughter can help reduce tension in the muscles and can reduce pain. Laughter can also increase the body's immune system by decreasing stress hormones. By decreasing stress hormones, the body is better able to fight off infection and increases a person's resistance to disease. Laughing can create more energy in a person and vigor. The heart can benefit from laughter as well, since the body takes in more oxygen and increases blood flow while laughing.

Increasing Laughter

• To relish in the benefits of laughter, you can increase the amount of laughter in your life. Some ways to start increasing laughter are to smile more and to have a more positive outlook on life. By surrounding yourself with people who are laughing and seeking out humor you can provide more opportunities to insert laughter into your life. You can also watch a funny movie, read a funny book or the comics in the newspaper to increase laughter.