31 Days of Self-Care: Day 9, Laugh Every Day

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Just as the universe loves a cheerful giver, the world loves a person who can laugh. Laughter is one of those things that can be had for next to nothing. Anyone who has toddlers or little kids or pets probably laughs every single day. (My husband and I often said our dog was put on earth with one job: to make us laugh every day. She excelled at that.)

The benefits of laughing are very wide-ranging: physical, mental, emotional, and social. So let’s look at the many benefits to be had from laughing regularly, and then some of my suggestions for how to get a good laugh.

Physical Benefits of Laughing

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For starters, laughter is both stimulating and relaxing. Some of its most notable benefits are found in the area of cardiovascular health. A hearty laugh causes you to take in more oxygen-rich air, stimulating your lungs, heart and muscles. It improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow. And, it releases endorphins, those “happy” hormones that lower your blood pressure and can relieve physical pain. All of that can help protect you against a heart attack and numerous other cardiovascular problems.

Not only does it flood the body with more happy hormones, it also releases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies. Stanford University Medical School researcher, Dr. William Fry, discovered that people who laugh release more disease fighting T-cells from the spleen into the bloodstream. And in Norway researchers found that people with a good sense of humor tended to outlive more dour folks. This was particularly true for cancer patients.

And here’s one you might really appreciate: laughter helps you burn calories! In one study researchers discovered that laughing for 10 to 15 minutes a day can burn about 40 calories. Assuming your weight is steady, you could lose three or four pounds a year by just laughing! Also, it reduces the stress hormones that can contribute to weight gain.

A good hearty laugh will also relax your muscles for a good 45 minutes.

Laughter as a social connector

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It’s not always easy to see the humor in difficult situations. But I have always admired friends who are able to do this. It is extremely disarming. It’s also pretty hard to be angry at someone who can laugh at themselves and their own foibles. Granted, you need the “funny” gene to pull this one off consistently. But if you can see the funny side of a problem or conflict, you can rapidly de-escalate it. And when you both can laugh at it, voila! Problem solved. Laughter can help you release anger and feel more stable.

People tend to gravitate to those who are more cheerful. That’s because those with chronic emotional conditions like depression and anxiety have a much harder time forming and keeping relationships. If they are regularly are exposed to funny situations, movies, books, etc. they become easier to be around. And they will be happier in themselves as well. The hormones associated with laughter can also diminish a person’s stress levels, improving how they feel about themselves.

Nothing to laugh about?

Alright, I hear you saying that we haven’t had much to laugh about for a while. But that’s all the more reason to laugh. You just have to create an opportunity to laugh. I recently polled some of my friends and readers for their favorite laugh-out-loud movies. Many people suggested the same ones. (I tried to do the same with book recommendations, but they were all over the map. People have wildly differing opinions about what is a funny read.) Here are those that Bravo thinks are the 100 funniest comedies.

And here are some of the ones my readers and friends suggested:

Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein