by Nomadic Chris, 6 November 2009
"Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face" - Victor Hugo
"What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul" - Yiddish Proverb
Can having a prolonged laugh improve your health? Can a good joke really affect our mood? Why do people watch sitcoms and late night talkshows after a long hard day at work?
Yes! Having a whole-hearted giggle is good for you! Having a bad day? Laugh, because it really can't get any worse, can it?!
Medical research and plain old common sense have discovered that laughing so hard that your sides hurt is actually beneficial! A laugh can restore the balance between body and soul and has many positive repercussions; it can reduce stress levels, reduce physical / emotional pain, give you energy, boost your immunity, make instant connections between strangers and generally give you a better outlook! There are many health benefits to be had from laughing hard!
Let's list them below:
A good laugh is good for your heart!
According to a recent study, cardiologists at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore found that people with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh or find jokes funny compared to people of the same age without heart disease. Laughter can actually help a person's blood flow and circulation! Modern life can place untold strain on the human heart; laughter is the best way to ease the tension!
According to HelpGuide, laughter can also:
Relax the whole body!
A prolonged laugh relieves physical tension and stress! It will calm you down, place things into perspective and leave your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes. Basically instant zen for free!
Boost the immune system!
Laughter can make your body stronger and help fight illness! It decreases stress hormones while increasing immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies. Why do you think beef-cake, Arnold Schwarzenegger, had so many corny one liners in his films?
Makes you feel good! Like exercise, laughter can trigger the release of endorphins,
the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. You know that great feeling you have after exercise? A good long laugh can do the same! Humor gives you boundless energy and a natural high!
People often take themselves way too seriously! Psychologically, laughter has many benefits; well just how sad / depressed will you be if in fact you are keeled over laughing? Humor will also allow you to place things into perspective by turning a bad situation into a potentially fun one!
So everyday try to have a belly laugh! Watch a good sitcom, watch an OTT comedy, make fun of yourself and others (nicely!), go to watch a stand up comic, observe silly little things in life and of course, SMILE!!! Much. All the time.
Most importantly, it's more fun to laugh with other people! Shared joy is a wonderful thing and can lessen distances between people, build relationships and make people more sociable! Why do you think people look for a potential life partner with a good sense of humor? Life is tough, but humor can place everything into perspective!
Laughter, it's good for you and to be honest, it should come naturally! YOU can be the one to brighten someone's day! Spread the joy, tell a decent joke! A clean one preferably.
Dream big!
Hong Kongers are famous for taking themselves too seriously! Escape from the hustle and bustle and head down to the TakeOut Comedy Club (TOC) Hong Kong. For a chance to win free tickets to TOC, join our iCUBED.us & TOC Knock Knock Joke of the Month Competition. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
Please visit our "i3's LISTINGS PAGE" where you can send us your youth-relevant announcements or information, check it out ...
|
 ..... Stop here
“Spreading the Joy” – How to tell a Good Joke! ... by Chris Lau CLICK HERE
Interview with Teenage Stand Up Conner Savage! Laughter at Any Age? ... By Chris Lau CLICK HERE
JOKE CONTEST plus MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT STORIES to win Take Out Comedy Club tickets worth HK$300 click here
Interview with TakeOut Comedy's Jami Gong - Bringing Laughter to the Asia Pacific!... by Chris Lau READ MORE
|
|
Delicious
Digg
reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
