Laughing is contagious, in a good way! I am grateful that I’ve had the pleasure of knowing many people in my lifetime that have incredible laughs, that no matter what, always find something funny and lighten the mood. Laughter can bring us so much joy. It helps curb stress levels and aids when dealing with pain. Laughing in the company of others builds relationships. And when experienced regularly, laughter can contribute to an improved quality of life.
Laughter’s Impact On The Mind & Body
When we laugh, our bodies release those feel-good hormones called endorphins. There’s also that dopamine cycle. The mere act of smiling releases dopamine, which makes us feel good, and when we feel good we release dopamine. Get the cycle started with a smile, add a little laughter, and we’re off! In the company of others, when the oxytocin gets released, it helps us build a stronger bond with the people we are laughing alongside, including complete strangers!
Similar to how progressive muscle relaxation engages your muscles by tightening and releasing them, laughter engages your abdominal, chest, facial, and skeletal muscles. Laughter can activate and calm your stress response, allowing it to reset with a lower baseline as your cortisol decreases. It reduces your heart rate and blood pressure, and alleviates feelings of anger. All of this puts you in a more positive frame of mind, it increases our energy, and gives us hope.
Having A Sense Of Humour Helps You Laugh
Knowing how to find the humour in life is key to laughing regularly. Humour let’s us see things differently, a lighter side of life, if you will. This doesn’t mean that life isn’t difficult or that bad things don’t happen. But you are better equipped to tackle those challenges and find that silver lining. It is a way to release the tension in situations. Humour serves as a type of recharge, almost like a gas can that gives you enough fuel to get to the next gas station.
You don’t need to be funny to be able to appreciate humour. You do need to not be afraid of lightening up. I know I’m guilty of this. Sometimes we put up a hard exterior to protect ourselves from the outside world, but this can also keep the good things in life out too. Be able to laugh at your mistakes and take them as learning opportunities. Make sure to not degrade yourself for the sake of a good laugh, it will only chip away at your self-esteem. By the same token, please ensure that your source of laughter is not another individual. Mocking or bullying another person is not acceptable. And finally, don’t be afraid of being goofy and have fun when hanging out with close friends and family.
Ways To Bring Laughter Into Your Life
By consciously finding ways to bring laughter into your life you can increase the odds of getting a few good laughs in. Who doesn’t like laughing so hard their ribs hurt! Some people cry when they laugh hard adding to the catharsis.
Surround yourself with funny people
If you know funny people (friends, family, colleagues), try to spend some time with them regularly. You’ll be amazed how much you can enjoy the little things in their company and afterwards too.
Reminders of things you find funny
These could be a greeting card you received, a meme you saw on social media, a photo of friends being silly, or anything that makes you chuckle when you see it. You can hang these on your vision board or save a digital copy onto your desktop or mobile. You can also keep a file or a box with the objects and go through it every time you need to nudge a chuckle.
Watch a show or movie on demand
Anything that has made you laugh hard in the past warrants a repeat. With current technologies your options of sourcing content are vast. If nothing specific comes to mind, there are countless videos on YouTube that can give you 5 minutes of laughter. Be careful not to lose track of time by setting a timer.
Listen to a podcast
You can also consider listening to a podcast that makes you laugh. This is a great alternative to have when you are on the go, driving around getting errands done, or while exercising.
Go to a comedy club
Catch a live show and laugh with a room full of strangers! This can be such an incredible bonding experience. Comedians tour regularly and most major cities will have a comedy club and/or festival you can attend.
Make your own comic strip
If you are feeling creative and funny, try making your own comic strip. You can draw something on paper or create a digital design with online graphic programs. You can keep it for yourself or share it with people in your circle. It could even be a great team-building exercise or a way to make those internal work communications more exciting.
Laughter yoga
This is a form of yoga (also known as Hasna Yoga) that is usually done in groups, to mimic the effects of spontaneous laughter. It combines movement and yogic breathing exercises to promote voluntary laughter over a prolonged period of time. It is noted to relieve tension and makes people feel happy. Some even say it makes them feel like a kid again because of its playful nature. Some yogis incorporate mantras or affirmations in this process.
Dedicate time this week to laugh.
Growing up my mom was always finding ways to laugh and it made an otherwise challenging life easier. She was funny and her laugh was contagious. Everyone around her would eventually start laughing when she was on a roll. We’d be sore for days afterwards and it served as a reminder of that shared experience, and a giggle or smile would inevitably peak through.
Having a reminder of what makes us laugh is great to trigger a residual memory and at the very least will help ease any tension you are feeling in the moment. Laughter not only helps relieve stress, but it helps to boost feelings of positivity and your overall well-being. Find a way to bring laughter into your routine. If it’s hard to think of how, start with one dedicated time a month and increase to at least once a week when you are more comfortable. It is as easy as watching a show, listening to a podcast, going to a live comedy act, or trying out some laughter therapy.
IMAGE CREDIT: Unsplash | Bagas Muhammad.