It’s said laughter is the best medicine, but is there any truth to happiness being healing?
Laughing is ingrained in us from birth. Infants begin smiling during the first weeks of life and laugh out loud within months of being born. Laughter becomes an important part of our daily lives from then on. So why is laughter so important and what does it do for us? To answer, we must first examine the effects of stress.
Life is full of ups and downs; moments we cherish and experiences that push us to our limits. Stress is a normal part of life and can be a healthy body response that can work to protect us, help us stay focused, energetic and alert, but long-term stress can have adverse health effects.
Stress affects the mind, body and behaviour in many ways, and everyone experiences stress differently.
Here are some of the signs to help you identify high levels of stress.
Mental/emotional symptoms
Concentration and memory problems, anxiety and worry, moodiness, irritability and depression.
Physical symptoms
Aches and pains, bowel changes, palpitation of the heart, lowered immune system.
Behavioural symptoms
Increased or decreased appetite, changes in sleep, relying on addictions including cigarettes or nervous habits such as nail biting.
We’ve all been in situations where we find ourselves experiencing one or more of these stress symptoms. A work, family or personal relationship gets us worried and anxiety takes over.
One dark thought dramatically turns into a slippery slop that is hard to control.
Laughter on the other hand has been found to also affect our mental, physical and emotional well-being in a positive light – strengthening your immune system, boosting energy, diminishing pain and protecting you from the damaging effects of stress.
Laughter physically relaxes blood vessels boosting blood circulation to the heart and brain, releases endorphins making you feel happy and modulates blood glucose levels, decreasing the need for high amounts of insulin, therefore regulating your metabolism.
Acupuncture, like laughter, creates the same physiological changes in our body, increased blood flow, endorphin release and improved immune responses.
Helping you manage your stress in a healthy way.
So my advice to help you get laughter into your life more regularly is to surround yourself with positive people. Laughter and optimism are infectious; participate in activities that decrease stress such as yoga, exercise or hobbies you enjoy.
Although it may seem like a simple solution to smile and laugh on a daily basis, it’s not always so easy.
As the book The Secret would say, “one negative thought attracts more negative thoughts”. I believe that saying to be true.
I’ve seen it countless times in my practice where clients will feel over powered with pessimism, worry, fear and indecision. With a friendly ear to listen to concerns, a healthy dose of optimism and of course, acupuncture, I’ve been able to help them with their specific health needs and remove some of life’s stress.
Laughter is an important part of our behaviour that is ingrained in us to help manage our social and physical stressors. Laughter lightens our burdens, inspires hope, connects you to others and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert.
With so much power to heal and renew, the ability to laugh easily and frequently is a great resource for supporting both our physical and emotional health.
LOL
