Did you ever notice that people have enjoy life seem to look younger and more vital then someone who stresses over everything? Would you like to know the secret to living a more fulfilled life with more energy? Of-course you do but it is no secret at all, in fact, I am sure that you do it everyday. At least I hope so. The secret is to laugh. That’s right, just by laughing on a regular basis, you will receive benefits physically, mentally and socially.
1. Physical Health: Laughing will decrease your stress hormones and increase your immune cells and natural anti-bodies that will help you stay healthy keeping sickness away. It also increases your blood flow which helps protect you against cardiac disease and heart issues. Laughing also releases endorphins which has been know as one of the body’s feel good chemicals. Releasing endorphins even has the power to give you a temporary relief of pain. All from just laughing.
2. Mental Health: First of all, laughing will give you joy and add zest to your life. Who wouldn’t want that? It will ease anxiety and fear, relieve the stress that you may be dealing with and put you in an overall good mood. When you are in a good mood, you are more confident which will bring you greater results in life. We could also say that laughing is a form of meditation. When you are laughing, nothing else in your world matters except what caused you to laugh. That is an escape from your current reality with intense focus on one thing; that is meditation.
3. Social Health: Laughing with another person whether you know them or not will create or strengthen any relationship. You are sharing a moment in a positive way that creates a bond for you and the other person, or even group of people. Being a Martial Artist, we teach our students that laughter is the best defense. If you are having an altercation with someone, laugh your way out of it and you will see how it will defuse almost any situation. (As long as you are not laughing at them.)
