Understanding the Link Between Laughter and Mental Health
Have you noticed how good you feel after a deep laugh? Whether you are laughing at your friend's joke or somebody else's or while watching a comedy show, you are doing some good to your body. And you know what, even science agrees with this fact. So when you feel depressed anytime, do remember to laugh. This will help you to feel better in no time.
Several studies have shown that laughter is a natural medicine to improve your mood when you feel low or depressed. It helps you lift your mood. It is an in-built stress relief medicine, which does not cost anything.
A recent study investigated how laughter helps with mental health. This study worked on whether laughter has any effects on cortisol. Before we move on to how laughter affects cortisol levels. Do you know what is cortisol? Cortisol is a stress hormone that your body produces when under stress. The role of cortisol is to keep your blood pressure stable, promote your immune system function, and increase your energy levels. Are you wondering how it impacts your mental health? Here is the answer. When you are stressed, your body produces more cortisol, which causes weight gain, muscle weakness, depression, and anxiety.
Researchers evaluated eight different studies where individuals were motivated to laugh by watching a video or laughing at someone’s joke or by any means. Their cortisol levels are measured before and after laughing. Also, a few other studies compared cortisol levels with individuals without laughing sessions. Can you guess what they found at the end of the study? It was found that the cortisol levels after the laughter session had significantly reduced, and individuals who did not participate in the laughter session had higher cortisol levels than those who participated in the session.
So, what is the final result? It has been concluded laughing helps improve your mood, reduces stress, and even supports heart health. It does not matter how long you laugh; even if you laugh for a short time, your body will be thankful to you.
Can Laughter Help with Depression and Anxiety?
Undoubtedly! Laughter is a good medicine and the best intervention to manage anxiety and depression. Several studies have proved the same. Also, it boosts your self-esteem. Laughter serves as an effective tool in treating depression and anxiety by decreasing the level of stress hormones, increasing feel-good hormones, improving relationships with others, and promoting relaxation.
Now, are you thinking about how you can include laughing sessions in your daily life? Here are a few ways that help you implement laughing in your daily schedule -
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Smile more. Smiling is contagious. You can smile at your coworkers, friends, and even those who are new to you. Smiling keeps the environment around you with more positive energy. Smiling also boosts your mood.
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Practice thankfulness. Learn to be thankful for things or people that make you happy. Just by recollecting those things, your mood improves.
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Spend time with individuals who make you laugh. Whenever you hear people laugh, join them and know what it is about. Most individuals enjoy sharing what makes them laugh. Do you have any friends who have a good sense of humor? Then why worry? Just grab him for some time and spend it.
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Do you love pets? If yes, then I am sure they will help you boost your mood and mental health by the silliest things they do at home.
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Share jokes and introduce humor into your conversations with friends. It will make the
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mood light and increase the good vibes.
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What else could you think of? Yes, the last one is laughter yoga. It includes breathing exercises and intentional laughing. Do you know that our brain cannot differentiate between real and intentional laughing? So, it acts in the same way by releasing endorphins, which are feel-good hormones.
What Are the Benefits of Laughter Therapy?
Short-Term Benefits of Laughter Therapy:
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Relaxes Muscles: As laughing stimulates circulation, muscles that cause stress get relieved for at least 45 minutes.
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Burns Calories: Studies revealed that laughing for 10 to 15 minutes can burn 10 to 40 calories. The muscles of the abdomen and diaphragm engage during good laughter and help tone them. Aside from this, laughter is also considered as an aerobic exercise.
Long-Term Effects: Have you ever wondered why you feel so happy after a good laugh? It is not only about the moment; it has a permanent impact on your mind and body! Here is why laughing more regularly can have a significant impact on your general well-being:
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Improves Mood: Laughter increases your levels of endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine which elevates your mood and makes you feel happier.
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Improves Cognition: Laughing increases your dopamine level which improves your memory, concentration, and problem-solving skills. This connects laughter and the brain.
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Boosts Immunity: Laughter boosts your immunity by increasing the immune cells such as T- and natural killer cells (NK cells). Hence, the risk of contracting an infection is reduced if you laugh often.
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Reduces Pain: When you laugh, endorphins or feel-good hormones are released, which increases your pain threshold. Besides, laughter can also induce your body to produce natural painkillers.
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Relieves Stress: When you laugh stress hormones like cortisol levels get reduced, thus relieving stress.
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Prevents Heart Disease: if you laugh, your heart rate increases, which improves circulation, and reduces the risk of heart disease.
What Are the Expert Insights and Research on Laughter Therapy?
The effectiveness of laughter therapy is backed up by many research studies. Here, I am adding a few to your knowledge -
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According to research conducted by Ramon Mora-Ripoll, laughing helps boost mood, alleviates stress, improves cognitive function, and promotes sociability.
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Another study conducted by college students discovered that laughing exercises help reduce mental stress.
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Also, a study conducted by the National Institute of Health suggested that laughing increases the release of endorphins, which help relieve depressive symptoms.
Conclusion
I believe now you have understood the relationship between laughter and mental health and how it benefits your physical health and mental health. What are you waiting for? Yes, it is the right time to indulge in laughing sessions by including any of the ways mentioned above in the article and reap the benefits of laughter.
Key Takeaway/ Note from iCliniq:
Laughter as a medicine is nature’s gift and a strong stress reliever. It is effective in anxiety and depression management, which has been proved by many studies. So, if you are feeling low, get the benefits of laughing by ganging up with your friends, looking at the actions of your pets, or, if you do not have one, watching videos that make you laugh. This helps decrease your stress hormones and makes you feel relaxed and happy.
