Scientific evidence has long shown that laughter is good for both your physical and mental health. Laughter can reduce blood pressure and stress hormones, strengthen the immune system, improve sleep habits and overall and help turn around a bad day. Below are some simple ways to encourage more laughter to help you get a natural health boost every day.
Spend Time Around Animals
Animals are a great source of laughter because they often do funny and entertaining things without even realizing it. Just think of the way a cat fixates and pounces on a small piece of yarn, or how a puppy may trip over its big paws while running down the hallway. If you don’t have a pet of your own, volunteer at a local animal shelter or watch funny online animal videos. Interacting with animals has been proven to lower stress hormones and heart rate.
Surround Yourself With People Who Enjoy Laughing
If you’re around funny people who laugh a lot, there’s a good chance you’ll be laughing in no time as well. Laughter really is contagious, so if you are surrounded by people who can find the humor in both the good and bad parts of life, you may find yourself with an improved outlook. Children are especially more likely to find laughter contagious.
Laugh Out Loud – Even if You’re Alone
Laughter doesn’t have to be shared to be beneficial—any form of laughter can foster positive feelings. In fact, laughter yoga is a form of yoga where people purposely spend time laughing alone. There are special laughter yoga exercises that people can perform alone to encourage them to laugh out loud as a form of stress relief.
Remind Yourself of Past Funny Moments
If you’re feeling down and in need of a laugh, think about funny things that have happened in the past. Perhaps you recently heard a funny joke, watched a side-splitting movie or maybe your friend told you a hilarious story. Sometimes all it takes is reliving a humorous memory to cause laughter and boost your mood.
Watch Funny Videos Online or on TV
There are millions of humorous video clips online that are free to access. If you search “funny cats,” “funny babies,” “funny kids” or “funny jokes,” you will find hours upon hours of video footage to keep you laughing all throughout the day. If you prefer watching TV, ask your friends for recommendations of funny TV shows or movies. You could even organize a comedy movie night for your family or friends so you can share in the laughter together.
Feature Image: Antonio Guillem / Shutterstock.com
