Last week, I talked about how a smile is good for your health. My husband suggested laughter as a topic for Wine & Wellness Wednesday! This week, I want to go a step further and talk about how laughter is good for your health.
I think you’ll agree with me when I say there’s some kind of excellent feeling that comes after a really good laugh! Even thinking about how it feels to laugh really well makes me smile. I’m talking about the laughter that comes with positive emotions, specifically, or true humor; not the kind that goes with laughing at someone out of malice. I don’t think that would have the same effect.
If even a fake smile can have benefits, can faking laughter also have benefits? Absolutely! You’ve heard “fake it ‘til you make it,” right? Starting to laugh at nothing and for no reason can eventually turn in to actual, honest-to-goodness laughter, and there’s a benefit in that for you. There’s even a laughter party on the phone that you could dial in to every day! I haven’t participated in way too long, but when I have dialed in, I’ve felt really good for quite a while afterwards. It’s laughter yoga! It’s better when shared!
Here’s a challenge for you! Find some time every day to laugh. If you don’t find it happening naturally, make it happen! Dial in to the laughter party on the phone. (The info is available on Facebook. Let me know if you’re interested and I’ll point you in the right direction!) Sit down and laugh for no reason, even if you don’t think it will work. Pop a funny movie in the DVD player and fast forward to the funniest bits. Laugh a while! Check in with yourself afterwards; how do you feel? Laughter really is the best medicine. :)
Cheers! Here’s to your health!