... because laughter releases healing hormones! by Maireid Sullivan, 2016
"ha ha" is related to "ah ha" – the sound one makes upon the realization of truth.
Humour allows us to make real connections with others.
Laughter opens us up to hope, joy, and optimism.
Laughter is our innate birthright!
Laughter is strong medicine!
Laughter is contagious – infectious – an antidote to stress, pain, conflict. Laughter helps us to stay positive and encourages us to be strong and brave in the face of daily challenges -and builds friendships- with a sense of well-being.
Laughter is the best medicine! We often fall sick because of a lack of oxygen.
Laughter increases the supply of oxygen to our cells:
Laughter exercises help us to attain good health by increasing our oxygen and nutrient uptake.
What happens inside our body when we laugh? Laughter boosts immune system function by stimulating a rush of 'feel good' hormones ~ endorphins ~ through our brain and central nervous system. The more we laugh, the more endorphins our brain releases.
Our heart starts beating a little faster
and blood-flow increases to all the tissues of the body -
abdominal muscles, back muscles, arm and leg muscles -
all get a work out when we start laughing.
In short, laughter contributes to The Art of Longevity
Without a sense of humour, it just isn't funny!
"Laughter is the most inexpensive and the most effective wonder drug.
Laughter is a universal medicine."- Bertrand Russell
... "A good laugh is a mighty good thing, and rather too scarce a good thing; the more’s the pity. So, if any one man, in his own proper-person, afford stuff for a good joke to anybody, let him not be backward, but let him cheerfully allow himself to spend and be spent in that way. And the man that has anything bountifully laughable about him, be sure there is more in that man than you perhaps think for.” – Moby Dick, by Herman Melville
Gross Global Happiness
2 April 2012, UN Headquarters, New York Happiness and Well-being: Defining a New Economic Paradigm – a high-level meeting at UN Headquarters brought together hundreds of representatives from governments, religious organizations, academia and civil society to discuss Gross National Happiness (GNH).
In his remarks, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he believes that sustainable development is intricately linked to happiness and well-being, highlighting the need for an economic paradigm that incorporates social and environmental progress in efforts to achieve sustainable development.>>> Read the full report HERE
There are strong links between laughter and mental health
Laughter dissolves distressing emotions:
You can’t feel anxious, angry, or sad when you’re laughing.
Laughter helps you relax and recharge:
Reduces stress and increases energy, enabling you to stay focused and accomplish more.
Humor shifts perspective: Humour helps us see situations in a more realistic, less threatening light. A humorous perspective creates psychological distance, which can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed.
The social benefits of humor and laughter Humor and playful communication strengthen our relationships by triggering positive feelings and fostering emotional connection. When we laugh with one another, a positive bond is created. This bond acts as a strong buffer against stress, disagreements, and disappointment. Laughing with others is more powerful than laughing alone 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 and play adds joy, vitality, and resilience. And humor is a powerful and effective way to heal resentments, disagreements, and hurts. Laughter unites people during difficult times. Using humor and laughter in relationships allows you to:
Be more spontaneous.Humor gets you out of your head and away from your troubles.
Let go of defensiveness.Laughter helps you forget judgments, criticisms, and doubts.
Release inhibitions.Your fear of holding back and holding on are set aside.
Express your true feelings.Deeply felt emotions are allowed to rise to the surface.
Laughter Clubs started with just five people in 1995.
Today there are over 6000 clubs in 60 countries.
Excerpt from a 1998 LA Times article
"Hahahaha!"
"Ho-ho-ho-ho!"
"Aaaaaahh-hahahahaha!"
"We are a singularly humorless nation," said Khushwant Singh, a journalist and author who has written five humor books. "There are too many sacred things here. The average person takes himself too seriously. Perhaps if people are seen making fun of themselves, then other people will decide that's OK."
The laughing clubs' catalyst was Madan Kataria, a jovial Bombay physician and yoga enthusiast. Three years ago,he invited four friends to Lokhandwala Park near his home. They stood in a circle and shared a laugh. Almost immediately, he says, other people began turning up.>>> more
Laughter Yoga is a unique concept developed by Indian physician, Dr. Madan Kataria. It is fast sweeping the world and is truly a life changing experience. It combines laughter exercises with yoga breathing which brings more oxygen to the body and brain making one feel more energetic and healthy. The concept is based on a scientific fact that the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter. One gets the same physiological and psychological benefits. Safe, easy and scientifically proven, Laughter Yoga is a lot of fun. Started with just five people in 1995, today it is a global phenomenon with over 6000 clubs in 60 countries.
Laughter is clinically proven to:
1. Boost the immune system. Laughing improves the body’s natural defense mechanism by increasing the amount of immunoglobulin’s and T cell’s in the body.
2. Reduce the risk of heart disease. Laughing expands the inner walls of the arteries which increases the ability of blood to flow around the body, and, this positive effect lasts for up to 45 minutes after the laughter has stopped.
3. Decrease stress. Laughing instantly reduces the levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline) and dopamine, and increases the production of serotonin and endorphins which reduce effects of stress.
4. Can assist as a mild anti-depressant. Laughter boosts the production of serotonin, a natural anti-depressant. Laughter also works as an effective distraction from things that cause anxiety and anger.
5. Reduce blood pressure. When you laugh, the blood flow increases, circulation improves and your blood pressure rises. When you stop laughing, your blood pressure drops back to its baseline. This relaxing effect helps to lower your baseline blood pressure.
6. Is a natural painkiller. There are a number of studies which validate the pain relieving effects of laughter. Studies show that watching comedy films assists both children and adults to tolerate pain more easily.
7. Massage the abdominal organs. Belly laughing effectively ‘massages’ the abdominal organs. The blood flow to these organs is increased and their functioning is improved.
8. Help keep diabetes under control. A recent study showed that people who watched a funny video after meal had lower blood sugar levels than those who watched a serious film. It could be that laughter affects the neuroendocrine system, which monitors the body´s glucose levels, or it may be the effect of energy used by the stomach muscles.
9. Make you look younger. As many as 15 facial muscles work together to help you smile and laugh. This increases the blood flow around the face, bringing the circulation into even the smallest of capillaries which, in turn, helps to make you look younger and healthier.
10. Re-energize the mind and body. Laughing forces air out of lungs, and causes us to take deep inward breaths, increasing the flow of oxygen right around the body.
11. Build resilience. The ability to laugh, or at least smile, when times get tough, is the best way to reduce stress and anxiety. While a little stress actually helps to motivate us into action and to focus on the problem, laughter helps us to focus on the solution and achieve more productive outcomes.
12. Aid with sleep. Having a good laugh prior to sleep reduces stress and anxiety, promoting deep, restful sleep. Laughter also provides a mild aerobic workout, which, not only energizes you in the short term, but also helps you to sleep better.
13. Bond us to others. Laughter causes the release of oxytocin. Often called the empathy hormone, oxytocin helps bond individuals and groups together. A little laughter is great for building great teams, be they in the community or at work.
14. Is contagious. Laughing not only lifts our spirits but also the spirit of those around us. Happy people lift the spirit of those around them. Remember, a smile or laugh shared is a smile or laugh doubled.
This is the flyer for the last of the monthly Southern California International Laughing Club gatherings, which I launched in early 1996, after reading a story in the LA Times about recently launched Laughing Clubs of India (Mumbai, March 1995), which claimed to relieve stress. Of all the places in the world, my friends and I thought one was needed in LA, so we began irregular meetings in out-of-the-way places, and put flyers all over town, because we believed simply hearing about these gatherings would benefit people. I often launched International Laughing Club "chapters" while on tour, opening each with my own 'musical' version of a Kookaburra laugh.
