Laughter – Positive Reflection Of The Week
Laughter Is The Best Medicine! – by Shahwana Khanam
Did we forget to laugh and have fun as we grew up? When did life become so serious? For the past few months due to the pandemic, it does seem like that doesn’t it?
Laughter makes up a surprisingly large part of our lives, and it’s certainly not a bad thing. It’s a fantastic stress reliever and has the power to brighten an otherwise miserable day. Whether it’s chuckling at a joke in a sitcom or sharing a few laughs with our friends, laughter comes to us very naturally. It’s fun to share a good laugh, but did you know it can actually improve your health? It’s true: laughter is strong medicine. It draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain and protects you from the damaging effects of stress. As children, we used to laugh hundreds of times a day, but as adults, life tends to be more serious and laughter more infrequent.
DID YOU KNOW laughter stops distressing emotions? You can’t feel anxious, angry, or sad when you’re laughing.
Surround yourself with happy people, like small children. There’s a good reason why TV sitcoms use laugh tracks: laughter is contagious. You’re many times more likely to laugh around other people than when you’re alone. And the more laughter you bring into your own life, the happier you and those around you will feel.
Shared laughter is one of the most effective tools for keeping relationships fresh and exciting. All emotional sharing builds strong and lasting relationship bonds, but sharing laughter also adds joy, vitality, and resilience. And humour is a powerful and effective way to heal resentments, disagreements, and hurts. Laughter unites people during difficult times.
Laughter is your birthright, a natural part of life that is innate and inborn. Infants begin smiling during the first weeks of life and laugh out loud within months of being born. Even if you did not grow up in a household where laughter was a common sound, you can learn to laugh at any stage of life.
“He deserves Paradise who makes his companions laugh.” — Koran
“Humour is a prelude to faith, and laughter is the beginning of prayer.” — Reinhold Niebuhr
Enjoy the moments, feel free to laugh, share your happy moments with family and friends, and allow them to share theirs, take a bonding trip for a weekend, spend time enjoying and admiring the beauty of nature, listen to the whistle of the trees, the whisper of the wind, the laughter of children playing, the waves of the ocean, the flow of the stream, above all your heartbeat and smile.
A smile is a beginning of life, it will take you to your next step of laughter. Your instant vacation is laughter. Try it.
Count your blessings. Literally make a list. The simple act of considering the positive aspects of your life will distance you from negative thoughts that block humour and laughter. When you’re in a state of sadness, you have further to travel to reach humour and laughter.
Creating opportunities to laugh:
- Watch funny TV shows (Mr. Bean is a start).
- Host online game nights with friends/family.
- Play around with kids hide, and seek, other games, enjoy them bring that kid out in you.
- Sing in the shower.
- Put on some music and dance.
- Join or create a Laughing club.
PHYSICAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF LAUGHING:
- Boosts Immunity (trust me we need that right now)
- Lowers Stress Hormones
- Decreases Pain
- Relaxes your muscles
- Prevents Heart Disease
MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF LAUGHING
- Adds Joy and zest of Life
- Eases anxiety and tension
- Relieves stress
- Improves mood
- Strengthens resilience
SOCIAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF LAUGHING:
- Strengthens Relationships
- Makes you attract people towards you
- Enhances Teamwork
- Helps diffuse conflicts
- Promotes group bonding
Laughter helps you stay mentally healthy
Isn’t that what we need – this will lead to inner peace and clarity as well as bring joy in our lives.
Keep Laughing…
Shahwana Khanam – Pranic Healer
