laughing Archives - Amazing Health Advances

One of the Best & Most Easily Accessible “Anti-Depressants”

AHA Publisher — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 08:00:38 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #358) and blog I talk about something we all do: laughing! Have you ever thought about why emitting sounds from our mouths gives us so much joy? Even when those sounds can sometimes come out like a cackle, grunt, wheeze or even a snort? When we do this, we are most likely filled with joy, although there are times when people laugh out of discomfort, shock, anger, and/or sadness. In almost all these situations, however, there is something about laughing that relieves us—it releases tension and can improve our mood in tangible ways. But what even is laughter? Physiologically, laughter is a sound that comes from our lungs with an exhalation of air. Our facial muscles contort when we laugh, and this is considered a somewhat involuntary or automatic response to some kind of stimulation. And if you think of it, laughter is literally a form of communication. It’s an intrinsic part of our language; it is part of how we understand and connect with other humans. There are even some studies that show humans laugh 17 times a day! Many of us love to laugh, which makes sense because it activates several reward systems in the brain. Studies have shown that laughing is heavily involved with the limbic system. The limbic system is the part of the brain involved in our behavioral and emotional responses. It responds to the energy of the mind by facilitating memory storage and retrieval, and in establishing our emotional states. The limbic system also becomes very active when we self-regulate (by paying focused attention to what the nonconscious mind is sending us up through the conscious mind), and links our conscious, intellectual functions of the cerebral cortex to the unconscious, autonomic functions of the brain stem. Essentially, the limbic system is involved in our emotional and behavioral responses, like laughing, that we need to live our lives. Indeed, the limbic system is connected to feeding, reproduction, caring for our young, and our “fight, flight, freeze or fawn” response. This suggests that laughing is literally one of our most intrinsic human behaviors! Laughter changes the neurochemicals in the brain, especially in the frontal lobe, which is associated with our emotions but also affects other parts of the brain. So, its impact is quite widespread! Studies have shown that laughter can have a similar effect on the brain as antidepressants. Laughing can activate the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin, the same brain chemical affected by the most common types of antidepressants, which helps regulate our mood and causes the release of oxytocin. Often called the empathy hormone, oxytocin helps individuals bond and form groups and communities. Laughter can also alter dopamine activity, while the endorphins secreted when we laugh can help us when we feel uncomfortable or depressed. Laughter can also reduce the level of stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine, which can make us more resilient to the impacts of toxic stress. Laughing literally increases the amount of oxygen we have in our lungs. This, in turn, increases the amount of oxygen that flows throughout our body (in our blood), which goes to the heart and lungs and can increase the level of endorphins in our brain. This, in turn, helps us feel good and regulates our mood. The increased oxygen and blood flow can also help relieve muscle tension and help us think more clearly in the moment and make better decisions. Laughter can even act as a pain reliever by increasing blood and oxygen flow and releasing tension. Some studies have shown that laughing can result in a release of neuropeptides. These are short strings of amino acids that are synthesized in and released by neurons or glia, and can affect the function of the nervous system in the body. Neuropeptides can be extremely beneficial in fighting toxic stress, and can even increase our immune system functionality. If we think about the mind-brain-body connection, we know that what we think and feel will also affect our physical health. Negative thoughts can potentially affect our health if left unmanaged because thoughts are real structures in the brain. The neuropeptides that are released when we laugh can help us manage any toxic stress we have and can potentially make us more resilient. Laughter can even keep our telomeres healthy, which, as we observed in our recent clinical trials and I discussed in my book Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess, plays an important part of managing our mental health and resilience. Laughter is also good exercise! Some researchers estimate that laughing 100 times is equal to 10 minutes on the rowing machine or 15 minutes on an exercise bike. Indeed, many times people feel exhausted after laughing because of all the muscles it activates—it really is like a workout! We all know that when we laugh at something humorous, we tend to feel better. When something makes us laugh, like a funny video or silly joke, we essentially give our mind and body a break, which is also great for our wellbeing. A therapist friend of mine recently told me how she uses laughing to manage the stress of their job and not feel broken by listening to people’s deepest pains and fears all day long. She said that every morning while she gets ready and drives to work she listens to a podcast that makes her laugh. She uses this time to focus her mind on funny things and give her brain an opportunity to rest before starting the day. By doing this every day, she gives herself time to prepare herself mentally for the day ahead and not feel worn out by the time she gets to work. We should all try to laugh more, regardless of what we do for a living. As mentioned above, all the neurochemicals and endorphins that begin to flow in our brains when we laugh can help with feelings of depression, sadness and anxiety we all experience. Even in situations when we are angry or sad, laughing can help ease our pain and frustration. No wonder more and more psychologists and mental health professionals are promoting different types of “laughing therapy”. The idea behind laughing therapy is to teach people how to use humor as a healthy coping mechanism. Laughing is cathartic, it makes us feel joy, and it relieves our tension. It is an emotional release, so laugh more! It’s a fun kind of therapy! I recommend finding out what makes you laugh and incorporating that into your daily schedule. I personally love watching my dogs play with each other, which never fails to make me laugh, or watching silly animal videos online! Read funny memes, watch funny TV shows, go to comedy shows, spend more time with funny people—whatever you love best! Check out this helpful link to find more things to make you laugh. To read the original article click here.

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Benefits of Laughing + How to Laugh More Often

AHA Publisher — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Jillian Levy, CHHC via Dr. Axe – What’s one way you can hack your brain chemicals to boost your happiness? It’s as simple as laughing more. Not only does it feel good to laugh out loud, but it also makes you more attractive, can lead to stronger friendships, and is even considered “natural medicine” for both your physical and mental health. Why do we laugh, and what does a laugh mean biologically? Let’s dive in to the science of laughter below, including why having a sense of humor might help you live a longer, more fulfilling life. Benefits of Laughing How do you describe laughter? Laughing is defined as “showing emotion (such as mirth, joy or scorn) with a chuckle or explosive vocal sound.” Is laughter an emotion? Most experts consider it to be. In fact, it’s often called a “contagious emotion” because it tends to spread from person to person. In terms of what takes place in our bodies when we laugh, there’s actually still a lot of unknowns. According to Psychology Today, “Although laughter is one of the distinguishing features of human beings, little is known about the mechanisms behind it.” We know that people tend to laugh in several scenarios, including: To communicate to others we think something is funny Due to embarrassment and social discomfort To facilitate bonding and understanding across groups of people Is laughing a sign of happiness? Laughing tends to occur more among people who are already happy, and it can also make you feel happier too. In humans and primates, laughing releases endorphins and other “feel good” chemicals that help strengthen social bonds, reduce pain and increase motivation, all of which contribute to overall mental/emotional well-being. Laughing even burns calories, although not as much as most types of moderate exercise. When you laugh, you naturally buffer yourself against some of the damaging effects of stress, since laughing puts the brakes on your defensive stress responses, including our “fight or flight” response. Laughing also draws others closer to you, since the happier you appear, the more those around you feel happy too. What are the benefits of laughing? Laughter has been shown in studies to contribute to dozens of health benefits. In fact, laughing more often may even help you live longer. One study done in 2016 found that people with a strong sense of humor had a longer life expectancy than those who didn’t laugh often due to reduced risk for issues like heart disease and infections. Laughing is associated with some of the following health benefits: Improves your mood, reducing anxiety symptoms, anger, resentment, depression and sadness Boosts your immune system by decreasing circulating stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies Relaxes muscles and relieves tension Increases blood flow/circulation and can help protect against heart disease Improves mental and physical resilience (some even compare it to exercise in this regard!) Decreases pain Boosts social bonds between friends and attraction between men and women; in fact, women are sometimes called greater “laughter appreciators” because they tend to laugh over 120 percent more on average than men do Helps you to forgive sooner and gives you new perspective when dealing with challenges Improves alertness, productivity and memory, including in the workplace Gives you a generally more positive, optimistic outlook, which you bring to new and challenging situations How to Bring More Laughter Into Life Robert Provine, Ph.D. at the University of Maryland, believes that laughter isn’t necessarily just about humor, but also highly tied to communication and relationships. His research has shown that people actually laugh more in conversation and through interactions, rather than when watching or reading something funny while alone. Some studies have even shown that we’re about 30 times more likely to laugh at something when we are with other people! As HelpGuide.org puts its: Sharing humor is half the fun—in fact, most laughter doesn’t come from hearing jokes, but rather simply from spending time with friends and family. And it’s this social aspect that plays such an important role in the health benefits of laughter. Drawing upon what we know about how laughing usually occurs and how it benefits us, here are some ways to bring more laughs into your everyday life: Pay attention to what other people in your social circle think is funny. Laughing together is a great way to build stronger relationships, which is powerful at reducing loneliness-related stress. While socializing, put your phone away and try to avoid distractions. The more present you are with others, the more you’ll relish in other people’s jokes and senses of humor. When you hear laughter, seek out the source and feel free to ask about what others find to be funny. Spend more time with funny, playful, happy people. Some simple ways to increase opportunities for laughing with others include hosting game nights, going to comedy shows together, sharing jokes and stories, or making time for fun activities like playing board games or non-competitive sports. Seek out funny shows, books, podcasts, etc. Purposefully making an effort to bring more humorous content into your life is a great way to lift your mood. Attend comedy shows or watch them online. Try using humor to manage conflicts, in a respectful way of course. When you have a disagreement with someone, you can bring some humor to the situation to reduce tension, decrease defensiveness and anger, and put things into perspective. Make an effort to smile more often. Smiling is “the beginning of laughter” and is usually equally as contagious as laughing is. You’re more likely to smile more often if you pay attention to people while in face-to-face situations, so try making better eye contact and avoiding looking away or other distractions. Practice gratitude to boost your mood. The more grateful you feel, the higher the chances are that you’ll feel happy and in a good enough mood to laugh often. You can boost gratitude by keeping a journal/list or writing other people letters of appreciation. If you’re religious, you may be wondering, “What does the Bible says about laughter?” Laughter has been said to be a “gift from God” and a great way to cope with sadness — plus it can help you “count your blessings” by shining the light on joys in your life. Try “simulated laughter” by taking a laugh yoga or laugh therapy class. Developing a Sense of Humor Maybe you hold the belief that you’re not naturally a very humorous person. If you want to work on bringing more laughter into your life, here are tips from comedians and researchers who study laughter on boosting your sense of humor: Be more silly and spontaneous. You’ll find more opportunities to laugh when you take yourself less seriously. Build your self-esteem, and let go of judgment. If you tend to be insecure, defensive and critical of others and yourself, it’ll be hard to laugh at different situations, including at yourself. The more you can approach life with a non-judgmental, self-assured attitude, the more humor you’ll be able to find. Become emotionally intelligent and self-aware. People who are in tune with their feelings, who can manage stress and who are empathetic to others’ feelings are better able to connect and laugh together. Look for the humor in different situations, even those that seem bleak or frustrating at first. Risks and Side Effects Is laughing a lot a bad thing? For example, have you ever wondered: Can too much laughing kill you? Overall, laughing is completely natural and a healthy thing to do. It poses very minimal risks and benefits your well-being in numerous ways — such as by improving blood vessel function and reducing stiffness of the arteries. If you laugh hysterically for a long period of time, you may potentially become winded, and some people even tear up or pee themselves when they laugh very hard. For most people, however, adding more laughs to their days is a very wise thing to do. Conclusion Laughter is capable of supporting both physical and emotional health, as well as enhancing your relationships. Studies have found that people who laugh often benefit from stronger immune systems, more social support, boosts in their happiness and mood, diminished pain, protection against many diseases tied to stress, and even a longer life expectancy. People who incorporate humor and play into their daily lives tend to be more attractive to others, have higher self-esteem and have better coping skills when faced with challenges. You can bring more laughter into your life by seeking out funny people, consuming humorous content, socializing more in groups, becoming more self-assured and less judgmental, and practicing more gratitude. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Axe click here.

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