Laughter and its benefits have been known since ancient times and disciplines such as psychology have been used to achieve psychological and physical well-being.
A clear example is laughter therapy, a therapy that uses laughter as the main element.
Of the multiple benefits that laughter can bring, the following are worth mentioning:
It serves to combat stress.
When a person laughs, it generates endorphins. Endorphins are hormones that strengthen the immune system, providing a sense of well-being that will help reduce stress.
Strengthening the immune system
Endorphins have countless benefits, apart from reducing stress. They also help protect the body from infections, as well as making it more resistant to pathologies such as hypertension, cancer or diabetes.
Laughing increases T-lymphocytes and immunoglobulin A, antibodies used to fight bacteria and various viruses.
Reduce insomnia
Laughter provides people with peace of mind and relaxation, i.e., feeling good.
Laughing helps to leave worries and problems aside, having a direct impact on the quality of one’s sleep.
Prevention of cardiovascular problems
When a person laughs, he or she releases dopamine, adrenaline and serotonin, favoring optimal heart function.
It is also worth noting that, on a psychosomatic level, many heart problems have sadness as their nerve center, causing the heart to contract. By laughing or smiling, the heart is widened and relaxed.
Provides an analgesic effect
It has been proven that both humor and laughter can reduce pain. It also serves as a distraction technique and increases the body’s production of natural painkillers (e.g. the aforementioned endorphins or serotonin).
Skin rejuvenation
Contrary to when we are sad, a time when our defenses decrease making us more vulnerable to disease, laughing makes the body cope better with the environment, protecting itself and making the skin look better colored and healthier.
Laughter rejuvenates the skin, thanks to its toning and anti-wrinkle effect. For example, laughing out loud can make us sweat, bringing our tears into action and promoting skin hydration.