But you just need to learn to laugh sincerely, cheerfully, fervently, including at yourself, then there will be much less stupidity in the world. And your health will remain excellent. And life will begin to present gifts. Doctors, and not only them, can confirm the truth forgotten by many serious citizens that laughter prolongs life. Someone, however, is sure that from laughter early wrinkles appear. So is laughter harmful or beneficial? Let's try to figure it out together.
The birth of laughter
Have you ever seen how babies smile in the very first weeks after birth? How do they laugh at three months? It is difficult to imagine a more enchanting sight. One of the statisticians has already calculated that by the age of six, children laugh three hundred times a day. And then, with age, laughter sounds less and less often. The average adult smiles no more than ten to fifteen times a day, and with fur With him the situation is generally much sadder.
We do not pretend to be pseudo-scientific research, but it seems that it is impossible to teach serious people who are extremely busy with important things to laugh. They are sure that laughter is characteristic only of eccentrics. But the kids are trained in this art without our intervention. How great it would be if, growing up, children were able to preserve and carry through their entire lives their innate ability to laugh. How many conflicts could have been avoided by making a good joke and laughing cheerfully! Unfortunately, this dream is not yet achievable.
True, there is one day a year when laughter covers entire cities, countries, continents. This day comes with early spring, April 1, and can charge you with a supply of laughter for a long time, you just need to skillfully accumulate it.
Gelatology as a way to cure ailments
About forty years ago a whole science was created about laughter. They called it gelotology. The founding father, who went down in history as “the man who made death laugh,” was an American suffering from an incurable joint disease named Norman Cousins. When the doctors threw up their hands helplessly, Norman became interested in watching comedies, deciding to brighten up the rest of his existence. By the end of the week, he felt that the pain in his joints began to disappear. A month of comedy gave Cousins the ability to move again. After two months laughter therapy he was able to return to work.
...doctors say that laughter reduces the release of adrenaline and cortisone and increases the release of endorphins. This means that laughter not only improves mood, but also serves as a pain reliever.
Laughter from a medical point of view
Laughter increases blood flow, which has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. And doctors have already begun to equate a minute of sincere laughter with a thirty-minute fitness class. Even in the treatment of serious diseases, they try to use laughter, as is often reported in the media.
Ubiquitous statistics say: comedians live much longer than tragedians. They say that since the seventeenth century there has been a saying among Aesculapians: “One clown who arrives in a city will do more for health than a dozen mules loaded with medicines.”
Side effects of laughter
The same aesculapians warn that laughter should be dosed, like every medicine. People suffering from chronic diseases of the eyes and lungs should laugh in moderation. Prolonged laughter during hernias, as well as in the postoperative period, is dangerous.
Good joke and bad joke
What can improve your mood, give you a boost of optimism, and relieve tension faster than a good joke? Good humor heals. Helps to live. Brings back youth.
And evil pranks only spoil the holiday and bring disappointment. It’s good when everyone has fun, and not just those who came up with the idea of making fun of a friend by throwing a banana skin at his feet. How funny it is for such “humorists” when a person falls after stepping on this skin! And it doesn’t matter what kind of damage the person being played suffered: he just got his new suit dirty in the mud or broke his leg. The main thing is that the organizers of the draw had a “good” laugh. Did it make them healthier? Only researchers can answer this question laughter. And the fact that the victim of such a prank has diminished health is quite obvious.
Is it really possible to count all the stupid and evil pranks that caused a lot of trouble...
Humor in itself cannot be good or bad. People who are not aware of the true meaning of the word “joke” are bad. But jokes have been part of human culture since ancient times. And only a joke heard for the first time is funny. Its repeated repetition becomes just a pattern, which over time only “hurts” the ear.
... a joke and kindness must go hand in hand, then healthy laughter will definitely bring benefits.
How to make laughter a habit?
It’s probably worth analyzing the past day and remembering how many times you smiled, how many times you laughed. Not enough? Try watching a funny and kind comedy from tomorrow - it will definitely add fun. Try to communicate with optimists more often.They say you can do a five-minute exercise in front of a mirror called an “artificial smile.” But is everything artificial as beautiful as natural?
On the eve of April Fool's Day
And now it's getting closer April 1, aka April Fool's Day, aka Fool's Day. In different countries the holiday is called differently. Where it is customary to joke cheerfully, kindly, laugh joyfully, and get a boost of energy, this day, of course, is called Happy April Fool's Day. And where they try to make a fool out of an innocent victim of a prank, the holiday is appropriate. Have fun with health benefits, prolong your life with laughter, rejoice yourself and make others happy! Don't let your jokes offend others. But (if this happened completely by accident) have the courage to apologize.
Some particularly cautious fellow citizens advise April 1 turn off your cell phone, don’t leave the house, don’t go on social networks, close the curtains, don’t open the door to anyone at all, crawl under the sofa and lie there until nightfall. This, they say, will help you avoid being fooled. Perhaps later you will have a really good laugh at this pastime, who knows?
But we think it's much more fun April Fool's Day in Dikmi style, then you definitely won’t regret wasting time under the sofa!
Be not only cheerful, but also vigilant! Remember that April 1 You can't trust anyone. And by the way, so do we. Happy holiday, dear friends, Happy April Fool's Day!
...merry jokes, good practical jokes, joyful minutes (or better yet, hours), great mood, the best physical and moral condition. Let laughter relieve the fatigue accumulated over the winter, cure depression, stress and nervous disorders. From a good laugh, life will become bright, rich, interesting, in general, funny!
Laugh for your health, because... Laughter reduces stress, burns calories, strengthens the immune system, and is also an excellent pain reliever. Why do people laugh? The reason for laughter can be, for example, communication with funny people, comedy, anecdote, or tickling. Some people laugh often, while others hardly ever. However, they all rarely laugh at themselves. During communication, laughter synchronizes the minds of the speaker and the listener and brings people closer together.
Also, laughter often appears during tickling, but we cannot tickle ourselves in order to be ticklish. Tickling someone is much more pleasant, and at this moment we see a reaction - the appearance of laughter. In adults, this sometimes arouses sexual interest, and overall mood improves. Tickle response declines significantly after middle age.
Laughing is good for you
People usually laugh at a certain joke, or during a conversation. Scientists do not smear laughter with a sense of humor.
Smiling as well as laughter play an important role in choosing a partner. Men most often prefer women who laugh loudly.
Various studies show that people are more likely to laugh at social conditions, and thus reap social benefits. It is also believed that women laugh more often than men. However, laughter is considered contagious, just like yawning.
As a person ages, he laughs less often. Researchers have found that 4-year-old children laugh an average of 300 times a day, while adults laugh about 5 to 10 times.
The benefits of laughter for the body. Laughter is the best medicine for many diseases. Scientists have found that it reduces pain and discomfort associated with the disease. In addition, laughter reduces stress hormones, increases hormones of longevity and happiness, and strengthens the immune system.
Advantages
A University of Oxford study found that laughter can help build resistance to physical pain by up to 10%. Our grandmothers also knew about the health benefits of laughter. From time immemorial it was believed that it prolongs life, improves health and is the best cure for all diseases.
If a person laughs heartily, that's good. If you laugh, then the pressure in the body increases, breathing intensifies, the pulse quickens, more oxygen enters the cells, and calories are burned.
A scientist from Vanderbilt University conducted a small experiment in which the number of calories burned while laughing was measured. It has been proven that if a person laughs for 10 to 15 minutes, the body burns about 50 calories.
Other Maryland researchers have studied the blood vessel response (). They watched people watching dramas and comedies. After this, it was concluded that people who watched the comedy had normal blood vessels and improved blood circulation. However, the blood vessels of those watching the drama were tense.
Therefore, watching comedy benefits your cardiovascular system and overall health. Because you laugh while watching them, and laughter has been said to strengthen the immune system, lower stress hormones, lower blood sugar, and burn calories.
Laughter reduces the risk of heart disease: happy, cheerful people have a 40% reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease, unlike pessimists. This is due to the hormone cortisol (stress hormone), which suppresses the immune system. Laughter can reduce cortisol levels in the body by up to 50%.
When you laugh, your body produces endorphins, hormones that help fight stress and also serve as a natural pain reliever. This helps make a person a little happier.
Smile and laugh daily
Smiling every day will help you in everything. Laughter every day helps maintain a good mood. It was also noted that this improves health and resistance to infections.
You can laugh, for example, at home while watching comedies, or better yet, when communicating with people.
It especially helps during depression, anger, because... Frees the body from negative emotions and gives peace of mind.
Research conducted at the Center for Alternative Medicine at the University of California showed that laughter reduces anger levels by up to 98% (watching comedies), and reduces depression by up to 51%.
Skin Health: Laughter has been shown to improve skin health (). This is due to the dilation of blood vessels, improved blood circulation and cellular nutrition. The skin becomes more radiant and smooth.
Plus, laughter helps keep your heart healthy. To lower blood pressure, you can laugh for 10 minutes. This will help improve blood circulation, prevent cardiovascular diseases, and also provide enough oxygen to the heart muscle.
Also, laughter is good not only for the heart, but also for the lungs. If you have problems with the respiratory system, it is useful to laugh for 30 minutes a day. This will help cleanse the lungs, blood, and reduce pain symptoms.
Benefits of laughter:
- reduces blood pressure;
- reduces stress hormones;
- stimulates the immune system;
- relieves pain;
- relaxes muscles;
- stimulates the production of endorphins;
- improves the health of the respiratory system.
When you laugh, your body relaxes and pain decreases. Laughter also helps the body secrete neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine (helps to relax). It can be called an excellent antidepressant.
In addition to all of the above, it helps fight infections, especially of the respiratory tract. It is believed that laughing for 30 seconds to 5 minutes (10 times a day) reduces appetite, burns calories, which helps you lose weight.
Recently, on a bus, I overheard an argument between two schoolgirls: one argued that laughing is good for you and laughter prolongs life, and the second disagreed with her, saying that laughter is simply an expression of emotions. “The benefits of laughter? Is it really true?"— I was surprised and decided to study this issue in more detail.
As it turned out benefits of laughter really exists! And what a one! It has been proven that laughter is beneficial for both the spiritual and physical well-being of a person. When a person laughs, blood flow to the brain increases and gray matter cells receive more oxygen. As a result, fatigue decreases, the upper respiratory tract is cleared, and blood circulation in the vascular system improves.
Incredible, but laughter therapy popular in many countries around the world. So in Germany, clown doctors come to seriously ill children, and Indian doctors have come up with a special laughter yoga to improve their emotional and physical condition. It consists of stretches and exercises that simulate laughter. Staying in funny poses, and especially watching other participants frozen in exactly the same clothes quickly causes real laughter.
Laughter relaxes muscles, and also promotes the release of endorphins - substances that have an analgesic effect. Laughter relieves chronic pain for arthritis, spinal injuries, neurological diseases. It has also been proven that Laughter is very, very beneficial for the cardiovascular system, because it strengthens endothelium- cells that line the inner surface of blood vessels and heart cavities.
But for the respiratory tract, the benefits of laughter are absolutely invaluable. The secret is in a special “laughing” breathing, in which the inhalation becomes long and deep, and the exhalation becomes short and intense, as a result of which the lungs are completely emptied of air, and gas exchange in them is accelerated three times. The release of sputum during laughter is the same as during special physiotherapy procedures.
One minute of laughter can replace fifteen minutes of cycling, and laughing for ten to fifteen minutes can burn the calories contained in a chocolate bar.
And when you laugh so hard that it seems “your stomach will burst from laughter”, then know that in addition to a good mood, you are training your abs, and not only: in total, 80 muscle groups are involved when laughing. For them, this benefit is expressed in constant “charging” and shaking.
Can't resist laughing and depression, tense relationships with someone around you. Even if you are not happy at all, just go to the mirror and smile at yourself. The benefits of even a simple smile for yourself are simply unique in this situation!
Laughter is good for you and for those who care about their appearance. Many women, feeling the signs of aging, try to smile less. And they make a terrible mistake! When we laugh, we train our muscles, and the blood rushes to our face. As a result, you are guaranteed blush and elasticity of the skin.
When we see before us a person who constantly smiles or a person from whom it is impossible to extract a strangled laugh, but only a mean grin, then we try to understand what caused this and draw a conclusion about his character. And we do it right! Dostoevsky also wrote that A person's true nature is revealed by laughter.
A sincere smile, a catchy laugh, sparkling eyes and a positive attitude - isn’t this what a happy person looks like? Everyone knows that smiling and laughter have undoubted health benefits. We will tell you in today’s article what impact positive emotions have on the human body..
The health benefits of laughter and smiling
In the course of research, American scientists came to the conclusion that certain brain centers are responsible for a positive perception of reality and the general physical health of a person. Stimulation of these zones helps to avoid certain diseases and cure many existing ailments. Laughter acts as a natural activator of brain centers, which reduces the production of adrenaline and cortisone - stress hormones, and provokes the production of happiness hormones - endorphin, dopamine and serotonin.
In the 70s of the last century, Norman Kasis laid the foundation for gelotology, a science that studies the effects of laughter on the human body. Kazis showed by his own example the effectiveness of his technique. The founder of gelotology was suffering from a rare bone disease. The doctors were powerless in this case. As a result, the patient decided to “make death laugh,” and spent days watching nothing but comedies. A month later, the disease subsided and Norman was able to go to work. After a happy cure, scientists began to study this phenomenon. Today we have a wide knowledge base about the benefits of smiling and laughter for the human body.
Experts have proven that laughter:
- Improves the functioning of the heart and circulatory system. Sincere laughter helps cleanse blood vessels and normalize blood pressure.
- Improves blood circulation. Improved blood circulation helps normalize the functioning of almost all organs and systems of the body, helps improve skin condition, and slow down the aging process.
- Improves the functioning of the endocrine system. The proper functioning of the endocrine glands depends on a complete supply of oxygen-enriched blood. Laughter improves blood circulation and helps normalize the functioning of this system.
- Improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. When we laugh, we tense and relax our abdominal muscles. These actions help massage the internal organs, normalize the functioning of the intestines and stomach, as well as remove harmful toxins from the body.
- Cleanses the bronchi and lungs. When laughing, a person completely fills his lungs with air, thereby saturating his body with precious oxygen.
- Fights cancer. Laughter activates the body's protective functions, which inhibit the development of cancer.
- Strengthens immunity. During laughter, the body gets rid of stress and produces antibodies that allow it to successfully fight infections and allergens.
- Reduces nervous tension. The production of happiness hormones and the suppression of stress hormones help fight nervous tension and depression.
- Relaxes the muscles of the back and neck. While laughing, a person gets rid of back and neck pain, which is important for people engaged in sedentary work.
- Helps improve sleep. Laughter eliminates negative emotions, helps you relax and get rid of gloomy thoughts.
Doctors also advise smiling more, because... smile:
- Helps maintain youthful skin. When facial muscles work, blood flow increases, which delivers oxygen and nutrients to the epidermis.
- Improves brain function. The secret is in the same increase in blood flow.
- Makes you happy. A smile is a sign of happiness that can be shared and make people around you happy. Positive emotions make us more attractive, which helps us achieve success in our careers and personal relationships.
Some scientists believe that laughter is a drug that causes long-term euphoria, helps a person stay healthy and happy. Smile, have fun, laugh, give others positive emotions, then you can forget about stress and live a healthy, fulfilling life.
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 comedians. 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 stress 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.
