Laughte
r is an audible expression, or appearance of merriment or happiness, or an inward feeling of joy and pleasure. It’s a part of human behavior regulated by the brain. Laughter helps humans clarify their intentions in social interaction and provides an emotional context to conversations. Laughter is used as a signal for being part of a group — it signals acceptance and positive interactions with others. Laughter is sometimes seemingly contagious, and the laughter of one person can itself provoke laughter from others as a positive feedback.
Why do we laugh?
Common causes for laughter are sensations of joy and humor, however other situations may cause laughter as well.
A general theory that explains laughter is called the relief theory. Sigmund Freud summarized it in his theory that laughter releases tension and "psychic energy". This theory is one of the justifications of the beliefs that laughter is beneficial for one's health. This theory explains why laughter can be as a coping
mechanism for when one is upset, angry or sad.
Laughter therapy
Laughter, it's said, is the best medicine. And there's lots of
evidence that laughter does lots of good things for us.
Laughter dissolves tension, stress, anxiety, irritation, anger, grief, and depression. After a hearty bout of laughter, you will experience a sense of well-being.
Medical researches have found that laughter boosts the immune system.
Laughing is aerobic, providing a workout for the diaphragm and increasing the body's ability to use oxygen.
Belly laugh results in muscle relaxation. While you laugh, the muscles that do not participate in the belly laugh, relaxes. After you finish laughing those muscles involved in the laughter start to relax.
Laughter can provide good cardiac conditioning especially for those who are unable to perform physical exercises.
Frequent belly laughter empties your lungs of more air than it takes in resulting in a cleansing effect – similar to deep breathing.
Experts believe that laughter can reduce pain and aid the healing process. For one thing, laughter offers a powerful distraction from pain.
Humor helps integrate both hemispheres of our brain, for the left hemisphere is used to decipher the verbal content of a joke while the right hemisphere interprets whether it is funny or not.
Humor brings the balance we need to get through the turbulence of life comfortably.
A sense of humor can help you accept the inevitable, rise to any challenge, handle the unexpected with ease, and come out of any difficulty smiling.
Perhaps, the biggest benefit of laughter is that it is free and has no known negative side effects.
So laugh as much as you can and share your humor with others!!! :)