Laughter is the priceless medicine that comes free of cost. But not really value this. Themedguru.com dwells into the potential benefits of a hearty laugh on your mind, body and soul.
According to a study conducted at the University of Maryland Medical Center, a good sense of humor and one’s ability to laugh at stressful situations helps curb the detrimental effects of an otherwise stressful situation.
"I believe that if people can get more laughter in their lives, they are a lot better off," says Steve Wilson, MA, CSP, a psychologist and laugh therapist. "They might be healthier too."
Although the intelligentsia, of even the most primal civilizations have known about the benefits of laughter, it is only recently that scientific evidence has become available to prove the connection. Here is what you can achieve by smiling away all your problems, including the constipated boss in office.
Physical Effects of Laughter
A lot happens to your body when you laugh. Laughter is accompanied by stretching of your facial as well as other body muscles. This is also accompanied by a shooting up of your pulse rate and blood pressure. Besides, laughing makes you breathe faster, prompting your heart to pump more oxygen.
People who have been experiencing the benefits of laughter draw a parallel with a mild workout. In that context, it is also said to burn calories.
According to research conducted by Maciej Buchowski, from Vanderbilt University, 10 to 15 minutes of laughter can burn around 50 calories. But the bad news is at this rate, it would require 12 hours of dedicated laughing to lose a pound.
William Fry, a pioneer in laughter research, claims his heart rate attains the same level that it would after ten minutes on a rowing machine or just one minute of hearty laughter.
Laughter and Blood Pressure
It has been found that people who laugh more often and laugh heartily have lower blood pressure than those who prefer remaining serious. According to doctors and scientists, when people laugh, blood pressure increases initially, but drops later. Subsequently, breathing becomes deeper causing oxygen enriched blood and nutrients to flow into the body.
Laugh for a Healthy Heart and Reduced Stress
Laughter, coupled with a good sense of humor, also assists in protecting the heart against heart related diseases. According to the study at the University of Maryland Medical, people with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh in a range of situations as against those without heart disease.
Another study conducted by public health scientists at UCL found happiness not only protects the heart but also lowers levels of stress-inducing chemicals. According to the findings of this research, harmful, stress related chemicals like cortisol are present in lower quantities in people who have more moments of happiness and are hence more likely to lead a healthy and long life.
Laughter and Immunity
A good laugh can do a lot of good for your body, including strengthening your immune systemdefine. According to a study published in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 52 healthy men were made to watch an hour-long comedy video. Their immunity markers like T cell counts were measured before, during and after subjecting them to the video.
Surprisingly, it was found that just one hour of laughter could boost their immune function for up to 12 hours.
Laugh Often for Bliss
Having fun can be seriously imperative. It has been found that fun that is derived by means of play can help you increase your life-span, think sharper, and fine tune the overall mechanics of your biological and spiritual existence.
In this robotic world, who the hell has the time to play, leave alone derive happiness from it? But recognizing the importance of playfulness in everyday life, some corporate bigwigs have now started incorporating means of providing a playful environment to its employees, as a result of which they are now finding ideas flowing effortlessly.
A recent book by Harvard Business School called, ‘Got Game’ claims it is the computer gamers who will redefine the face of future business. The book maintains that these games lay a foundation for risk taking skills that are mandatory for the success of any business.
Games also train people to cope with failure and lend lessons in managing multiple state-of-affairs with ease. Gamers often look at failure as a learning opportunity and are thus able to identify humor in the worst situations in life.
With so much said and done on the importance of humor or laughter in our lives, many of us have begun to appreciate the benefits that humor has to offer. The million dollar question however, is, are we really doing anything concrete to bring in more laughter in our otherwise dull lives?
New Delhi, November 18 -- Since its outbreak in June this year, the H1N1 influenza has taken a widespread toll. With four more H1N1 deaths in India, the toll goes up to 530, as per an official statement.
We seeks happiness even as it continues to elude many of us. However, the fact is that if we focus our attention on other things and not strive for happiness itself, we will experience this emotion more often.
You have just met your Mr. Right and with all your womanly intuition you feel that he is the one you have been waiting for. You are excited, can`t stop smiling and your cheeks turn red the moment he enters.
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