5 Benefits of Laughter for Mental Health

Laughter and mental health

Laughter is the only psychotropic medicine in the world, which does not have any kind of side effects. A rollicking laugh can make your day better and decrease your stress. For many people experiencing depression, stress, and anxiety, laughter can help them to overcome those mental barriers by lessening the emotional stress and making them more lively and happier. The scientific reason behind this is, Laughter produces a hormone called “endorphins” which is a feel-good hormone that helps you to be more lively and happy. Endorphins are also released during enjoyable activities including sex, eating, massages, and exercise.

In this article, we are going to see the major 5 benefits of laughter which are familiar but not considered by most of us. 

1. Relieves Tension 

A wonderful way to relieve tension that you may experience nearly immediately is to laugh. When you laugh, your blood pressure and heart rate go up and down while your stress reaction is cooled. The outcome is a sensation of relaxation that may alleviate current tension and improve your mood. 

2. Lifts Your Spirit 

Laughter stimulates endorphin production in the brain and affects dopamine and serotonin levels. These organic happy hormones increase general pleasure while momentarily easing physical discomfort. You may enhance your outlook and reduce stress, sadness, and anxiety by laughing more. 

This all-natural mood enhancer might give you more energy and concentration. Every time you laugh, you'll be able to do more and feel better about yourself. Your body may be impacted by negative thoughts by way of chemical responses that increase stress levels and lower immunity. Contrarily, laughing causes the production of hormones that lower stress, strengthen your immune system, and lengthen your lifespan. 

3. Reduces Stress 

Laughter relieves physical tension and may provide immediate comfort in stressful circumstances. A good chuckle may relax your muscles for up to 45 minutes since it increases circulation and relaxes the muscles. As a result, laughing may lessen the physical effects of stress and provide solace in trying circumstances. 

When you laugh, you won't feel stressed, irritated, or unhappy. You may also put yourself psychologically distant from potentially dangerous circumstances. Laughter might help you feel less stressed and more prepared to resolve conflicts. 

4. Boosts Confidence 

Making others happy makes you feel wonderful. Making jokes and seeing our loved ones' smiles may make us feel good about ourselves and increase our self-esteem. The capacity to make a room full of people laugh and smile is a real gift since endorphins are produced when people laugh, which makes individuals feel better when they are anxious, unhappy, or uncomfortable. 

5. Makes Relationships Stronger 

The usage of laugh tracks in TV comedies is due to the infectious nature of laughing. Around other people, you're more inclined to chuckle than when you're by yourself. You'll feel happy, and so will everyone else, the more you laugh. Your mental and emotional health may be significantly impacted by how close you are to other people. In difficult circumstances, laughter may bring people together while boosting resilience and settling arguments. 

Importance of laughing

In today's culture, the quality of life is stressed by intense competition and socioeconomic contact, which has a detrimental effect on one's mental health. Laughter is a good feeling, and it seems to be a beneficial and healthy approach to dealing with stress. A cognitive behaviour called laughter has the potential to enhance social, psychological, and physical well-being while also raising the overall quality of life.

Laughter is beneficial for both the immune system and mental health. Additionally, laughter is free of cost and doesn't need any particular setups like appropriate buildings or equipment. Due to these factors, the medical industry has taken note and tried to include laughing therapy with more established treatments.

Laughter may lessen the symptoms of stress by reducing the chemicals that cause it, which are contained in the blood. Indicating a reversal of the stress response, laughter lowers blood levels of cortisol, adrenaline, growth hormone, and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (a key dopamine catabolite). Neurotransmitters including norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin are decreased in depression, and the brain's mood-controlling circuit is disrupted.

Depression is a disease. Serotonin and dopamine activities may be changed by laughter. Additionally, endorphins released by laughing might be beneficial for those who feel uneasy or melancholy. Stress and depression are two common conditions that negatively affect mental health, and laughter is a non-invasive, non-pharmacological alternative treatment for these conditions. As a single or adjuvant treatment, laughing is efficient and backed by science. 

Endnote

When we were younger, we used to laugh more, and we were also happier and healthier. We eventually grew up, but the quantity of laughter we once experienced was reduced, and today most people seem to be in poor mental and physical health. Laughter helps you to live your life better and healthier. The question is do you laugh enough?

“Laugh for your mental health” it's no joke.

Written by Balaji Prathap