Not Kidding, Laughter Really Is The Best Medicine!

Sharing a laugh with a friend can leave you feeling great afterwards. But there are more benefits to laughter than just having a good time.

Let's face it, our day to day lives can be stressful no matter what kind of lifestyle we have. To counteract this, we need to take care of our body and mind by eating right and getting enough sleep. But one healthy dose of medicine we often overlook is just laughing it up once in a while.

It's great exercise

Studies have shown that laughter is actually apretty good workout. When you enjoy a healthy guffaw, it rapidly tenses and exercises various groups of muscles at a time, for a few seconds each. Not only is this great for your body, but your muscles then go into relaxation mode for up to 45 minutes afterward.

Good vibes only

Laughter can alsohelp fight your stress.Healthy doses of chortling help lower cortisol levels in your blood, the stress hormone triggered by a "fight or flight" situation. With too much chronic stress, your cortisol levels can remain elevated, leading to a host of other issues like anxiety, overeating, as well as cardiovascular and gastric problems.

Feel great in just a few minutes

Laughter also triggers the release of hormones called endorphins, which can cause a sense of euphoria.It's a great pick me up when you're feeling down, and it take no prep. Endorphins also help elevate our pain threshold, very important for people with chronic illnesses like cancer. Laughter also raises your dopamine levels, which is a neurotransmitter in your brain responsible for your reward-motivated behaviour, as well as motor function.

Laugh more for a healthier you!

Laughter has been shown to increase the activity of 'natural killer' cells in your body. These are lymphocytes capable of killing a wide variety of cancer cells without harming regular cells. So, with a daily dose of laughter, you can improve your body's ability to fend off cancerous cells like leukemia, carcinomas, sarcomas and melanomas.

It's easy to be overwhelmed by daily stress and the unpredictability of life. But instead of succumbing to it, you can work to improve both your health and your mental outlook. All it takes is one spectacular "Ha Ha!"