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Is Laughter the Best Medicine? The Healing Benefits of Laughter

It’s time to get serious about laughter. This April, in honor of National Humor Month, we’re exploring the interesting healing benefits that accompany laughter. Doctors have studied the effects of laughter for years and we’re now getting a clear view of how it impacts our health.

Is laughter really the best medicine? A short answer is: probably not. If you’re feeling sick or not like yourself, don’t watch an episode of Seinfeld contact your primary care provider. However, the benefits of laughter are intriguing and should be understood. Here are just some of the healing benefits of a good laugh:

1. Reduces Stress

Perhaps the greatest impact that laughter can have on your body is the reduction of stress, because of the health benefits that accompany it. When you laugh, your body experiences a reduction in stress hormones that make you feel stressed and anxious. Additionally, doctors believe that the reduction in these stress hormones can lead to a boost in your immune system…

2. Boosts Your Immune System

Laughing can help you avoid getting sick from viruses by improving your overall immune system. Besides the benefits we experience from less stress hormones, laughing also releases more anti-infection antibodies. These antibodies are your first line of defense in protecting your body from infection. Remember this the next time you ignore your loved one’s knock-knock joke!

3. Improves Cardiac Health

Laughter has a positive impact on your overall cardiovascular system by increasing the amount of oxygen in your blood and increasing your heart rate. Also, according to an article published by the National Library of Medicine, laughing decreases arterial wall stiffness. The stiffening of our arterial wall has long been linked to cardiovascular disease.

4. Works Your Core

No joke… laughter can really give your core a workout. Although it shouldn’t replace regular exercise, those who are belly laughing regularly are legitimately exercising their abs. When we laugh, the muscles in our stomach expand and contract rapidly, mimicking the movements that our bodies experience when we intentionally work out our abs. Additionally, when we laugh, the muscles we’re not using are relaxing.

Stress causes the body to tense up — laughter has the opposite effect on the body. From stress relief to improved cardiac health, laughing can present a range of health benefits. Be sure to contact your primary health provider with any pressing health concerns, but remember to also practice self-care by relaxing and don’t forget to laugh!

For more information, please contact your doctor or read more about the benefits of laughter.