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Is laughter the best medicine?


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Takes_Two_To_Tango

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According to this, it is.


The benefits of laughter​

It’s true: laughter is strong medicine. It draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hope, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert. It also helps you release anger and forgive sooner.

With so much power to heal and renew, the ability to laugh easily and frequently is a tremendous resource for surmounting problems, enhancing your relationships, and supporting both physical and emotional health. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use.

As children, we used to laugh hundreds of times a day, but as adults, life tends to be more serious and laughter more infrequent. But by seeking out more opportunities for humor and laughter, you can improve your emotional health, strengthen your relationships, find greater happiness—and even add years to your life.

Laughter is good for your health​

Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.

Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.

Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.

Laughter protects the heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.

Laughter burns calories. Okay, so it’s no replacement for going to the gym, but one study found that laughing for 10 to 15 minutes a day can burn approximately 40 calories—which could be enough to lose three or four pounds over the course of a year.

Laughter lightens anger’s heavy load. Nothing diffuses anger and conflict faster than a shared laugh. Looking at the funny side can put problems into perspective and enable you to move on from confrontations without holding onto bitterness or resentment.

Laughter may even help you to live longer. A study in Norway found that people with a strong sense of humor outlived those who don’t laugh as much. The difference was particularly notable for those battling can
 
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Seems right. Many folks have that as the default reaction when hearing terrible news because of it. Relieves stress and tension. Though I’ve read it is a sign of an immature mind too, but I guess whatever helps you get passed that feeling of abject horror is better than nothing.
 
Depends on the context I think.

Blood infection? I'll take the penicillin over a joke. Even a really good one.

Yeah it depends on the context, but the overall remedy of laughter is pretty powerful. It can make a depressed person feel happy for once. Who knows how much it affects our whole mental and physical state in general.
 
Title took me straight to memories of The Readers Digest. Anyone else get their monthly RD and go straight to "laughter the best medicine", "all in a days work", "humor in uniform", etc?
 
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the ability to make jokes is one of the best skills you can have

build trust
get ladies
make others happy

it is a skill you can learn, it is a skill I teach my son, who thinks I'm out of my mind.
 
This isn't very sciencey - But I have laughed at every response in this thread and I feel FUCKING AMAZING!!!

So there's that.


But seriously - Yes, laughter can (and often times) is the best medicine IMO. Not necessarily making light of a situation, but sometimes either taking a different perspective or distracting (but acknowledging) from something you have no control over - fuck yeah laughter is awesome.
 
And when it comes to deep shit - always remember, Im not laughing *at* you, but moreso *with* you.

Unless you're a fucking idiot who made incredibly stupid decisions and brought the situation upon yourself. Then yes, Im definitely laughing at you.
 
Yeah it depends on the context, but the overall remedy of laughter is pretty powerful. It can make a depressed person feel happy for once. Who knows how much it affects our whole mental and physical state in general.
Wasn't AT ALL positive at the time of a life-altering major surgery, but the intent was not meant to be negative. Hey FWIW, all good peeps try to help others during trying times.
 
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