In honor of April Fool’s Day and its pranks, here’s some scientific insight into the power of laughter!
According to the Mayo Clinic, laughing does more than lighten our mood:
Over the short term, the extra oxygen we draw in while laughing:
1️⃣ Stimulates our heart, lungs, and muscles and increases endorphins released in our brain,
2️⃣ Activates and calms our stress response and can increase and decrease our heart rate and blood pressure,
3️⃣ Can stimulate circulation and help with muscle relaxation, both of which can help reduce stress (because it reduces cortisol, our stress hormone).
Longer term, laughter can:
1️⃣ Improve our immune system (because negative thoughts have been shown to increase stress and decrease immunity, whereas positive thoughts release neuropeptides that help fight stress and other illnesses)
2️⃣ Relieve pain because it causes our body to produce natural painkillers
3️⃣ Help us cope with difficult situations
4️⃣ Enable us to connect more easily with other people
5️⃣ Improve our mood.
We also know that laughter boosts:
🏆 Dopamine (pleasure and reward chemical), which enhances our creativity
😄 Serotonin (happiness and status chemical).
Studies show that we experience all of the positive benefits of laughter whether our laughter is spontaneous or something we’re doing on purpose. Our body can't tell the difference, and the former usually leads to the latter.
Laughter has such a positive effect on our mental health and immune system that some medical practitioners are using laughter therapy to help patients relieve pain and stress, improve their sense of well-being, and help them cope with serious disease.
😁 Even a simple smile has clear benefits because it also boosts serotonin and oxytocin (social bonding and trust chemical).
According to Psychology Today, genuine smiles (that reach our eyes) induce positive feelings among those on the receiving end of the smile and also increase cooperation and help foster trust.
So, who will you laugh or smile with today?
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