Laughter is the best Medicine

Mark Twain once said :

“The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter.” . 

It goes without saying that he was right on so many levels. Laughter is always a tonic for 'what ails ya'.

Research has proven that laughter can have really amazing health benefits to all of us . Laughter has been associated with stress relief, pain reduction, and even a booster to our immune systems. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, which produces a sense of wellbeing.

Laughter is without a doubt contagious. For those who laugh, it instantly makes them feel better, and has a positive knock on effect to others, and for those who laugh with them.  A good belly laugh can reduce both stress and boost your immune system.  Laughter can disarm tension, or be a relief in a stressful situation.  It can help people cope with difficult situations in life such as depression or even grief.

 

Laughter can stave off dark moods, which can be damaging to heart health and increase our risk of stroke. It reduces levels of cortisol, the stress hormone that’s linked to several health problems, including deposition of fat in the abdominal area, the most dangerous place for it. So never underestimate the power of a giggle, the allure of the comical, that feel good factor after a hearty belly laugh, for it is indeed true that laughter is the best medicine ! and best of all people, it's free! So next time you are feeling down, or about to blow a fuse in anger, or are feeling tense with anxiety or just completely stressed out, try rediscovering your sense of humour.  Enjoy a good laugh...you will feel alot better all round, and even if the situation you find yourself in has not evaporated like your mood, then at least perhaps you will be better equipped to cope with what life may throw at you !

 

Someone once told me that 'a person without a sense of humour was like a car without shock absorbers', good analogy and way of looking at it, don't you think ?

'A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book. '
- Irish proverb

 

'A smile starts on the lips, A grin spreads to the eyes, A chuckle comes from the belly; But a good laugh bursts forth from the soul, Overflows, and bubbles all around. '  - Carolyn Birmingham

 

'An optimist laughs to forget, a pessimist forgets to laugh.'  - anonymous

'Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.'   -Lord Byron