Laughter Does a Body Good
For optimal living we need more than our five senses,
we need our sense of humor.
Laughter Provides Many Health Benefits
Did you know that laughing acutally increases circulation and improves the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to body tissue? Humor evens lowers blood pressure and aids the immune system in doing its job properly and also wards off respiratory problems. Think of it as an aerobic workout for your lungs. Laughter reduces stress hormones, helps control pain by increasing endorphines and by allowing a person to set aside aches and pains, allowing the body to relax.
The following is a summary of how possessing a sense of humor contributes to maintaining good health.
- Reduction of Stress Hormones - Laughing is a powerful tool that can lower stress and dissolve anger. Mood is elevated by striving to find humor in difficult and frustrating situations. Remember that humor is not so much about a funny joke, but about how we view the world. Laughing at ourselves and the situation helps reveal that small things are not the earth-shaking events they sometimes seem to be. Looking at a problem from a different perspective can make it seem less formidable and provide opportunities for greater objectivity and insight. Plus, the good feeling that we get when we laugh can remain with us as an internal experience even after the laughter subsides. Laughter reduces at least four of neuroendocrine hormones associated with stress response. These are epinephrine, cortisol, dopac, and growth hormone.
- Wards off Depression - Research shows that people suffering from depression are more prone to many illnesses like high blood pressure, heart attacks and cancer. Depression also affects the immune system adversely.
- Respiration - Laughter empties your lungs of more air than it takes in resulting in a cleansing effect - similar to deep breathing. This is especially helpful for peope who are suffering from respiratory ailments.
- Muscle Relaxation - Laughing results in muscle relaxation. While you laugh, the muscles that do not participate in the belly laugh, relaxes. After you finish laughing those muscles involved in the laughter start to relax. So, the action takes place in two stages.
- Immune System Enhancement - Studies have shown that humor strengthens the immune system.
- Pain Reduction - Humor allows a person to "forget" about pains such as aches, arthritis, etc.
 Cardiac Protection - Laughter protects the heart. Laughter, along with an active sense of humor, may help protect you against a heart attack. A belly laugh is equivalent to "an internal jogging." Laughter can provide good cardiac conditioning especially for those who are unable to perform physical exercises. - Blood Pressure - Laughter lowers blood pressure. People who laugh heartily on a regular basis have lower standing blood pressure than the average person. When people have a good laugh, initially the blood pressure increases, but then it decreases to levels below normal. Breathing then becomes deeper which sends oxygen enriched blood and nutrients throughout the body.
- Improves Stamina in Athletes - Since breathing capacity is one of the factors which determines stamina in sports, laughter before any competitive sports activity will increase the relaxation levels and hence, performance.
Think of our sense of humor, which is really about how we see the world, as our person "shock absorbers" that help us navigate the rough roads of life with a bit more ease, and with less wear and tear. Say Yes To Tennis wants to help maintain your shock absorbers and improve your health by offering information on the benefits of exercise, eating properly, avoiding negative life styles, and by laughing.
 Here is a good question to ask youself. Do we stop laughing because we grow old, or do we grow old because we stop laughing? Just to be on the safe side..check out our humor links that are bound to make you laugh.
The Porch
Bible-Stories Humor can be tool for dealing with afflictions! Marriage
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