“A laugh is a smile that bursts.” ~ Mary H. Waldrip
When was the last time you actually “laughed out loud”? And texting and emojis don’t count! LOL
Laughing is one of the most underrated things we do. It can be hard to just stop, be grateful and smile when the world around us expects perfection… But what I’ve learned recently is that laughing is living in that moment. Smiles from ear to ear showing almost all of our BEAUTIFUL TEETH we were gifted with are CONTAGIOUS! As we near the weekend, let’s laugh more and worry less! Because a more beautiful version of ourselves, is just simply a happier version.
Laughter also has added health benefits:
- When you start to laugh, it doesn’t just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body.
- Laughter can stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
- Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response, and it can increase your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.
- Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress – From the Mayo Clinic – Stress relief from laughter? It’s no joke
And, according to researchers led by Oxford University’s Robin Dunbar, their study suggests that genuine laughter releases endorphins in the brain, chemicals that activate the same receptors as drugs like heroin, to pain-killing and euphoria-producing effects. Here is their article called It’s No Joke: Why Laughter Kills Pain
Further reading