As children, we laugh about four hundred times a day, even for no apparent reason. And in adults, a smile appears on their face twenty times less often. And it's very bad. Although laughter and fun accompany us throughout our lives, the phenomenon of laughter has been studied very poorly. Meanwhile, he deserves special treatment. Unlike a sense of humor, laughter is an innate physical ability. And if you try to laugh in the morning when you pour a portion of coffee into a cup, you can be sure that you are guaranteed a good mood for the whole day. One minute of giggling, provoked by pleasant memories, is equivalent in effectiveness to 45 minutes of meditation. ELLE decided to find out the benefits of laughter.
From a physiological point of view, laughter is simply a series of rhythmic exhalations. But few people know that this is also an excellent way to enrich the body with oxygen and an excellent “massager”, when used. In terms of cardiovascular benefits, 20 seconds of boisterous laughter is equivalent to five minutes of running on a treadmill. What's not the ideal sports training?
Laughter is not just a reflex sitting in our genes and reacting to humor, but the most important social signal. Neuroscientists say that only 10% of the time we laugh at something that can actually be at least conditionally classified as humor. In other cases, it is a ritual. Often we laugh not because we are having fun, but because we obey some rules of good (or bad) manners. At the same time, the more you laugh, the easier it is to overcome the internal barrier - and now you can no longer be stopped. Laugh for your health!
Feeling depressed? Just smile - and the bad mood will go away as if it never happened! Don't be afraid to laugh - you will be amazed at how your life and your health will change.
Health benefits of laughter
A good, kind laugh is useful not only because it lifts your spirits. People who love to laugh get sick less, are less likely to get irritated and do not know what depression is.
LAUGHTER CALMES DOWN
Laughter releases endorphins - happy hormones that help get rid of irritation and sadness. Even if you just remember for a moment how you laughed recently, your mood will improve. Research by British psychologists has shown that after watching a funny film, a person’s level of irritation decreases several times. Moreover, the subjects' mood was lifted by the mere thought that they would soon laugh - two days before the planned viewing of the comedy, they were angry half as often as usual. 
LAUGHTER IMPROVES SKIN
What other benefits of laughter? If you laugh often, you can forget about expensive cosmetic procedures to improve your skin, because laughter tones your facial muscles and improves blood circulation, resulting in a natural glow.LAUGHTER STRENGTHENS RELATIONSHIPS
The ability to laugh together is extremely important for establishing a good and kind relationship. The connection between people and their shared sense of what is funny allows them to be more open with each other. If you joke, you are not afraid to seem funny. Which means you trust.LAUGHTER INCREASES IMMUNITY
Laughter helps fight infections - this is such a benefit for humans. After a minute of sincere laughter, the body releases a large amount of antibodies into the respiratory tract, which protect against bacteria and viruses. Laughter also increases the production of white blood cells, which fight various diseases, including cancer. 
LAUGHTER HEALTHY THE HEART
Thanks to laughter, blood vessels dilate and blood circulates better. Ten minutes of laughter can significantly lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of cholesterol plaques. Laughter even helps those who have had a heart attack; doctors believe that a good mood reduces the likelihood of a second attack.LAUGHTER RELIEVES PAIN
Happiness hormones, endorphins, which are produced when a person laughs, are our body’s natural painkillers. In addition, when you laugh, you take your mind off how bad you feel and forget about the pain for at least a few minutes. Doctors have long noticed that patients who are positive and find the strength to laugh endure pain much easier than those who are sad.LAUGHTER DEVELOPES THE LUNGS
Laughter is one of the best exercises for people suffering from asthma and bronchitis. During laughter, the activity of the lungs is activated, and thus the supply of oxygen to the blood increases, which allows clearing stagnation of phlegm. Some doctors compare the effect of laughter to chest physiotherapy, which removes mucus from the airways, but for people, laughter has an even better effect on the airways. 
LAUGHTER CONQUERS STRESS
British scientists have studied the effect of laughter on people's health. Two groups of volunteers were created. One group was shown recordings of comedy concerts for an hour, while the second group was asked to simply sit quietly. After this, the experiment participants took a blood test. And it was found that those who watched the humorous concert had lower levels of the “stress” hormones cortisol, dopamine and adrenaline than the second group. The fact is that when we laugh, physical stress on all parts of the body increases. When we stop laughing, our body relaxes and calms down. This means that laughter helps us get rid of physical and emotional stress. Scientists say that a minute of sincere laughter is equivalent to forty-five minutes of deep relaxation.LAUGHTER HELPS YOU BE IN SHAPE
In fact, laughter is a type of aerobic exercise because laughing allows you to breathe in more oxygen, which stimulates your heart and blood circulation. It is even considered “internal” aerobics, since during laughter all internal organs are massaged, which allows them to work more efficiently. Laughter is also good for strengthening the abdominal, back and leg muscles. One minute of laughter is equivalent to ten minutes on a rowing machine or fifteen minutes on a bicycle. And if you laugh your heart out for one hour, you will burn up to 500 calories, the same amount you can burn by running fast for an hour. 
HAPPY PATH TO A HAPPY LIFE
Today, researchers believe that only 50% of our ability to be happy is genetic. “The Rules of a Happy Person” will help you realize your potential, teach you to enjoy life and give you the opportunity to laugh more often. And besides, laughter prolongs life!BE AN EXTROVERT
Be talkative, confident and not afraid of adventure. Where to begin? For example, from a walk in the forest in the company of old friends. Have fun, joke and feel free to express your emotions.TALK MORE
Studies have shown that people who speak their minds openly are happier than those who remain silent. This doesn't mean you have to say everything that's on your mind. Just learn to express your opinion and defend it - it will help you feel happier. 
COMMUNICATE MORE WITH FRIENDS
Friendship is the true source of happiness. If you have friends you can rely on, you won't feel lonely. Moreover, psychologists say that to be happy, women need warm relationships with other women. Contrary to popular belief, female friendships have a stronger impact on us than relationships with men.EXPECT NOTHING
Expectation of happiness is the biggest obstacle to happiness. I will be happy when I lose weight/move to a new apartment/move to a new job/find the man of my dreams. Focus on what you have and be happy right now. And beware of all the “when” and “else”: they are the ones that prevent you from being happy.TAKE LAUGHTER SERIOUSLY
Make it a very serious goal to laugh every day. Think of laughter as a vitamin that you need to take regularly. You have no time for jokes because you don’t have enough time? Here's what we can offer:- an evening on the couch watching your favorite comedies;
- a pleasant dinner with friends;
- going to the cinema or to an amusement park with children (even the sight of happy children will make you laugh with pleasure);
- talking on the phone “about nothing” with a cheerful friend;
- at least once every two weeks, trips to stores in search of new funny books and magazines to have some fun.
Those who have read Norbekov’s book “The Fool’s Experience” know that a sincere smile and a straight back can cure almost all diseases.
Surely you have heard the story of the American psychotherapist Norman Cousins, who defeated cancer with the help of laughter. Having learned about his diagnosis, he did not moan about his fate and “bury” himself prematurely. Instead, he bought videotapes of his favorite comedy films and watched them all day long. As a result of this, unexpectedly for everyone, he was healed. It was he who became the founder of “gelotology” - the science of laughter. Since then, scientists have found new evidence confirming the benefits of laughter.
What are the benefits of laughter?
Laughter strengthens the immune system. From a medical point of view, laughter is an excellent way to both maintain health and prevent disease. The more intense the laughter, the more actively the body produces antibodies that can resist various infections.
When we laugh in the body, as well as during physical activity, the blood supply to the brain improves, the level of production of cortisol - the “stress hormone” and adrenaline - decreases. The hormone of joy - endorphin - enters the blood, which helps improve mood. Endorphins reduce the feeling of physical and mental pain and cause a feeling of satisfaction.
When laughing, the inhalation becomes deeper and longer, and the exhalation becomes shorter. The intensity of exhalation is so strong that the lungs are completely emptied of air, gas exchange accelerates 3-4 times - which is a natural breathing exercise. The lungs and bronchi are ventilated and cleaned. Oxygen entering the lungs enters the blood. The blood, in turn, runs throughout the body and activates all its cells. Japanese doctors use laughter to quite successfully treat tuberculosis patients. To cleanse your lungs with laughter, you need to choose a place in the open air. Even better - next to a water source.
When laughing, the abdominal muscles tense and relax, which is good exercise for the abs. This normalizes the functioning of the stomach and intestines, allowing toxins, waste and bad cholesterol to be eliminated from the body more quickly. During laughter, the walls of the stomach begin to vibrate and digested food enters the duodenum faster. So a good laugh during a feast can replace a festal pill.
During laughter, the state of the cardiovascular system improves, and blood pressure is normalized in hypertensive patients.
Scientists have also proven that laughter helps cleanse blood vessels. After active laughter, the muscles relax, blood pressure returns to normal and the blood vessels are cleansed. This means that laughter helps prevent atherosclerosis - the main culprit of cardiovascular diseases.
A smile stimulates blood circulation and the skin of the face begins to breathe better, and the aging process slows down.
A laughing person relaxes the muscles of his back and neck. This is especially useful for those who sit in front of a computer monitor for a long time.
Laughing people are less likely to experience allergies and skin rashes.
Laughter clears your eyes until you cry.
Laughter cleanses the endocrine system, which helps maintain youthful skin, which is very important for women. During laughter, blood enriched with oxygen washes the endocrine glands - the thyroid gland, parathyroid gland, pituitary gland, pancreas, adrenal glands and ovaries. These glands only work well when they have a large flow of oxygenated blood to cleanse them.
Laughter is a great addition to a weight loss program. One minute of laughter burns more calories than an hour of exercise. The abdominal muscles tense the most. The same thing happens as when running: the chest shakes, the shoulders move, the diaphragm vibrates, many muscles alternately compress and unclench.
Laughter is a powerful catalyst for rejuvenating, healing and cleansing processes in the body. Scientists have proven that every time we laugh, the aging process in the body slows down. If you want to prolong your youth, laugh more often!
In addition to the benefits that laughter brings to our health, laughter helps us communicate with other people.
A simple smile quickly attracts strangers to you. A person with his sincere smile seems to say: “You are welcome here.” It’s nice to communicate with such a person; you want to see him all the time and smile back. A sincere, beautiful smile can improve our own mood. This is already a proven fact.
The famous German psychologist Vera Birkenbiel advises using a smile in the following cases:
- When communicating with strangers for the first time. And they will behave more friendly and open.
- When talking on the phone. Your interlocutor will feel the smile on your face without even seeing you.
- If your interlocutor is irritated, then your friendly smile will help him calm down and tune in to a positive mood.
Psychologists say that a smile, even if forced, can lift your mood. When you are in a bad mood, try to force yourself to smile for a minute. The feelings that make us smile also work in the opposite direction. When you force yourself to smile (even if you are in a bad mood), your body uses the same muscles as when you smile sincerely and begins to release happiness hormones that give a positive charge. Force yourself to smile - this is the fastest and easiest way to improve your emotional state.
Laughter with or without reason is the best “cure” for a thousand and one ailments. When you are sick, try to maintain a good mood and try to help your family members if they are sick.
According to approximate data, in Russia 70% of the population is stressed.
Constant stress causes a disease called chronic fatigue syndrome. American scientists have found that certain brain centers are responsible for positive perception and physical health. Their stimulation helps prevent many diseases. The most natural way to influence this zone is sincere laughter, during which “happiness hormones” are produced - endorphin, serotonin and dopamine. At the same time, the production of stress hormones – cortisone and adrenaline – slows down. It is important to note that the benefits of laughter for humans are not only this.
The benefits of laughter for human physical health
The science of gelotology studies the effects of laughter on the body. Its founder was the famous Norman Cousins. He had a rare bone disease that doctors could not cure. Cousins did not become despondent; on the contrary, he spent days watching comedies instead. To the surprise of the doctors, the disease subsided and a month later Norman was back at work. He remained in history as “the man who made death laugh.” Since then, scientists have found many facts confirming the health benefits of laughter. Experts have proven that it stimulates:
Strengthening the immune system. A laughing person's body reduces stress levels and actively produces antibodies that will fight various infections.
Cleansing the lungs and bronchi. When laughing, a person inhales as deeply as possible, which allows him to fill his lungs with fresh air and gain more oxygen for the body. Nowadays, the direction of laughter yoga is actively practiced, useful for people with asthma, shortness of breath or other respiratory problems.
Cleansing the endocrine system. Endocrine glands function better when they receive oxygenated blood. The youthfulness of the skin directly depends on the functioning of this system.
Reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. After intense laughter, blood pressure normalizes, muscles relax and blood vessels are cleansed.
Improving the functioning of the stomach and intestines. By tensing and relaxing the abdominal muscles, the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is normalized, and the removal of harmful elements from the body is accelerated.
Relaxation of the neck and back muscles. This function is useful to know for those who have a sedentary job.
Improved blood supply. Due to this, the skin breathes better and ages more slowly.
What amazing benefits laughter has for our health!
Smile and laugh when communicating
Laughter helps to establish relationships with people around you and maintain them for a long time. A smiling interlocutor encourages even a stranger to talk. Often a conflict situation can be resolved painlessly if you approach it with humor.
The famous psychologist from Germany Vera Birkenbiel advises actively using a smile in the following situations:
- While meeting people. With the help of a smile, an open and friendly attitude towards the interlocutor is expressed.
- During a telephone conversation. Even without seeing a person, it is easy to recognize what mood he is in and how ready he is to communicate.
If the interlocutor is irritated, an approving or understanding smile can calm him down.
Experts assure that even an artificial smile lifts your mood. If a person smiles for one minute, even when he is not in the mood at all, he will begin to produce the “hormone of joy.” The body forces the same muscles to work as with a sincere smile. Therefore, you can start the reverse process and, by pretending to smile, really lift your spirits
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American doctors have found that certain brain centers are responsible for general physical health and a positive perception of reality. Stimulation of these centers cures many diseases.
A safe and natural method of stimulating these areas is laughter, which inhibits the brain's production of stress hormones - cortisone and adrenaline.
At the same time, the production of neurotransmitters is enhanced: serotonin and dopamine, and the “hormone of happiness” - endorphin, which are a vital medicine for people prone to depression and chronic fatigue.
Doctors believe:
Laughter is a harmless drug that causes euphoria for a long time. The higher the dose, the greater the benefits of laughter, the better for health. Sometimes the positive charge is enough for the whole day.
The history of the emergence of gelotology - the science of laughter (from Greek gelos - laughter) is interesting:
its founder, the American Norman Cousins, gained fame as the man who “made death laugh.”
Suffering from a rare bone disease, he could not find help from doctors who were powerless. Norman, having finally decided to have a good laugh, retired and began watching comedies, reading jokes, combining this activity with taking vitamin C.
The result surprised the whole world: the journalist was cured of a terrible disease, defining the treatment method as “A superdose of laughter and a superdose of vitamin C.”
Thus, in the 70s of the twentieth century, the beginning of a serious study of laughter as the most powerful reserve of the body was laid.
Currently, the number of laughter therapists in the United States has exceeded 600 people. Hospitals have laughter rooms where hopeless patients watch classic comedies and performances by comedians and humorists. This practice often returns to patients the desire to resist the disease and live.
There are also Laughter Centers in the United States, where group sessions are held and where Americans go as if on a holiday. It’s 30 times easier to laugh “with company” than when you’re alone.
Laughter and breathing. The end result after laughter is similar to yoga breathing exercises: blood supply to tissues and organs increases, blood pressure returns to normal, well-being and mood improve.
Inhalation during laughter becomes deeper and longer, exhalation becomes more intense and shorter, due to which the lungs are completely freed of air. Gas exchange accelerates three to four times, cholesterol decreases, blood pressure normalizes, the immune system is strengthened, and headaches may subside.
Belly laugh- a very useful exercise that shakes the abdominal cavity and massages the internal organs, ensuring good health. This is exactly how newborns breathe; over time, this innate skill of deep abdominal breathing is forgotten and replaced by fast superficial breathing, in which only the upper parts of the lungs take part.
How to call: sit on a chair, straighten your back, put your feet shoulder-width apart, put your hands on your stomach. You can turn on a funny comedy and try to laugh so that your hands feel your stomach swaying.
You should smile and laugh more often. When you smile, facial muscles contract, which is directly related to the blood supply to the brain. In addition, the face of a smiling person is more pleasant to communicate with than a frowning one.
But what about those people who, as they think, cannot laugh? Doctors, in this case, advise doing this artificially for 5-10 minutes, which will provide the necessary work to the facial muscles, which means nutrition to the brain.
Laughter and exercise. Laughter is a very effective gymnastics. When we laugh, 80 muscle groups work: the shoulders move, the muscles of the neck, face and back relax, the diaphragm vibrates, and the pulse quickens. One minute of laughter is equal in terms of load on the body to 25 minutes of fitness.
A positive effect on the cardiac system has been proven: funny people are 40% less at risk of cardiovascular disease than gloomy people.
Laughter in the fight against cancer. The book “Laughter cures cancer” was published in Austria. The author, Sigmund Foyerabend, says:
laughter and illness reflect a person's worldview. Laughter does not tolerate falsehood; it is born in the depths of the soul. With the help of sincere laughter you can defeat cancer.
Strengthening protective functions during laughter inhibits the development of malignant tumors.
Laughter conquers allergies confirmed by experiment. Allergy sufferers were given allergen injections and sent to watch a comedy starring Charlie Chaplin. An hour and a half after the start of the film, the result was visible: a decrease in skin manifestations of allergies.
The mechanism of action of laughter is not precisely known; apparently a positive attitude strengthens the body’s immunity.
Contraindications for excessive laughter. Laughter that is too long and loud should be moderated by people suffering from:
- hernia,
- pulmonary diseases (chronic bronchitis, tuberculosis, pneumonia),
- eye diseases,
- if there is a threat of miscarriage during pregnancy,
- complications after surgery.
In these cases, one should restrain manifestations of fun so as not to strain the muscles and internal organs.
Laugh to live. There are many cases where, thanks to a sense of humor and self-control, people overcame an incurable disease (a striking example of Norman Cousins) or found a way out of a difficult situation.
Practical Americans have put humor at the service of society: “humor seminars” are held for the management of well-known companies and the command of the US Air Force.
It is at work that people are more susceptible to stressful situations. The more mental pressure workers experience, the more fragile their nervous system becomes. Some enterprises conduct “humorous” training. They may suggest the following exercise: stand up straight - take a deep breath - laugh.
Humor is not an easy job. Problems appear on their own, but the ability to rejoice should be cultivated in oneself. It is important to be able to feel the absurdity of failure or misfortune in any situation.
Here is an example from life:
one lady carries a clown nose in her glove compartment. When she gets stuck in a traffic jam after work and her nerves begin to fray from fatigue, she puts it on and watches the reactions of other drivers. A proven way to defuse the situation and save nerve cells!
Take every opportunity to laugh. Learn to see the comic in life. Maintain a sense of humor in any circumstances and love life in all its manifestations!
To get a good night's sleep, the stress of the day should be relieved at all costs, advise leading sleep experts.
