You've heard the phrase 'laughter is the best medicine' Well, looks like it could actually be true!
You've heard the phrase 'laughter is the best medicine' Well, looks like it could actually be true! Here are some of the ways laughter can benefit your body. Courtesy of the experts at Reader's Digest.
- First: laughter relieves stress. If you laugh hard enough, it can activate your tear ducts and make you cry. And studies show that shedding tears can reduce stress levels.
- Next: laughter prevents you from getting sick. A study done at Loma Linda University in California found that after you laugh, your blood has a higher T-cell count and T-cells help our bodies fight off infections.
- The next way laughter benefits your body: it gives you exercise. When you laugh, your muscles tense up, and this elevates your heart rate and blood pressure. Well, the same process happens when you exercise. And laughter researcher William Fry says it took him 10 minutes on the rowing machine to elevate his heart rate to the same level as when he was having a good belly laugh. This is good news for elderly or sick people, who can't get out and run 2 miles.
- And the final way laughter benefits your body: it can help prevent heart disease. In a study done at the University of Maryland, patients watched a scene from a funny movie. Researchers then examined the patients' blood vessels. The results? After watching the funny movie, the patients' blood vessels had expanded. And expanded blood vessels improve blood flow and lower your risk of heart disease.
