Why Laughter Really is the Best Medicine

I swiped this from my sister’s Facebook page. It’s a great feel-good video aptly named “Anti-Depression Video.” I think any parent would dig this.

For centuries, people have touted the benefits of laughter. Experts say that a good laugh can reduce stress by relaxing tense muscles and energizing you by sending more oxygen into your bloodstream. It has also been shown to lower blood pressure.

Loma Linda University School of Medicine researchers Drs. Lee Berk and Stanley Tan have conducted studies that show laughter lowers serum cortisol levels, increases the amount of activated T lymphocytes, increases the number and activity of natural killer cells, and increases the number of T cells that have helper/suppresser receptors. What that all means is that the mere act of laughing can stimulate the immune system, off-setting the immunosuppressive effects of stress.

Laughter, too, has been shown to improve one’s tolerance to pain. (Wish I’d heard that after labor, when the epidural wore off!)

There have also been reports that people with serious diseases, like cancer, can mend themselves by arming themselves with a positive attitude and plenty of laughter. Another plus is that laughter, unlike many medicines, has no side effects. So there is truth to the old saying, “Laughter is the best medicine.”

Sources:
Solve Your Problems
Natural Medicine, Suite 101

Video & screenshot, YouTube, tipookhan