Laughter and Your Mental Health – Link and Benefits

Mental Health Benefits of Laughter

Relieves Stress: 

In order to under this benefit better, lets do this.

Listen to a comedy skit of no more than 5 mins with a friend, or a colleague, just at the time you think you are going through a lot of stress at work. 

This is not a rhetoric question. 

I want you to try it. 

Laughter helps us handle stress by easing the tension, relaxing the muscles and lowering our blood pressure. It has also been scientifically shown to decrease the level of stress hormones, such as cortisol, in the body. A humorous perspective creates what we call a psychological distance, which can help us avoid overwhelming feelings

Regulates and Improves Our Mood: 

Want to diffuse anger, tension, hatred, and anxiety? Try adding a little humour to the situation. Nothing diffuses these emotions faster than a burst of shared laughter. It has been suggested that humour helps to show an alternate perspective to a conflict situation that led to these emotions as less threatening.

Triggers Release of the ‘Feel Good Hormones’: 

Endorphins are usually referred to as the feel-good hormone. Laughter stimulates the brain to release more endorphins. The release of these hormones increases our overall happiness. For example, serotonin is a calming, pain-relieving endorphin while dopamine improves our mood. Laughter has also been shown to improve depression.

Relieves pain: 

“I found that 10 minutes of solid belly laughing would give me two hours of pain-free sleep” 

These were the words of Norman Cousins

Laughter and humour can distract us from the pain, even in chronic medical conditions. 

It can also help provide a sense of control when a situation may look helpless. 

I once read about how a woman struggling with cancer. She asked her doctor how much time she had to live because she wanted to be the first to tell her husband. She wanted to laugh at his facial expressions when she tells him he’ll need to get another wife soon.

Moreover, when we laugh, our body releases endorphins, such as serotonin, which help reduce the sensation of pain. Experts have suggested that the body’s natural endorphins are stronger to relieve pain than most pharmacies bought medications. 

Helps Build Better Relationships: 

According to Victor Borge “Laughter is the closest distance between two people”. 

Naturally, we are attracted to funny people because the brain interprets them as less threatening. Moreover, laughter makes us more attractive to other people. No wonder they say a smile is the best makeup a girl, anybody can wear. 

Likewise, we are more likely to share personal conversations with people we share a laugh with. We find we are more connected to them and more likely to drop our guards.

Besides, laughter is an antidote for resentments, hatred, resentments and more, so there is less conflict. 

Sharing laughter is one of the ways to build families, romantic relationships and communities. 

Improves Sleep: 

To explain this, it easy to site Norman Cousin’s classic recovery story but we’ll consider another angle. 

Let’s point out that Insomnia may be caused by stress. Thus, by relieving stress, laughter helps sleep. 

Enhances Memory and Creative Thinking: 

Humour has been shown to defuse heated arguments and increase creative thinking. Humour also stimulates memories and improve mental acuity even for the elderly. Humour supports existing brain neurons and encourages the growth of new neurons and synapses

Reduces Negative Thoughts: 

No doubt, negative thoughts have been linked with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and much more. When we laugh, our cerebral cortex (a brain region) releases electrical impulses that block the passage of negative thoughts immediately we start laughing. Studies have defined thoughts as electrical impulses, chemicals and neurons. 

Consequently, when we laugh longer, the happier we are.