Laughter. 😂

 

It feels so good to laugh.  

There is nothing quite like a full, deep and hearty laugh.

When you laugh fully and deeply it is as if your body is dancing with delight from within.  

You've heard of the saying, "Laughter is the best medicine."  I believe it to be true.

Our bodies have an innate ability to heal.  Laughter is one of those ways.

Laughter can:

Reduce stress.  Laughter can reduce various stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine.  In turn, your body releases any number of "feel good" chemicals in your body such as endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin.  You know, the good stuff.  :)  

Help you become more resilient.  Laughter and humor can provide you with an instantaneous new perspective on things that once seemed dire.  What was once seen as being insurmountable or horrific, is then seen in a more unthreatening light.  (See Portland Frog above.)  

Help you to connect with others.  We feel less alone and isolated when we laugh with others.  There is an unspoken "knowing" that happens between people who laugh together.  Intimacy deepens and connections become stronger.  When we are with people we trust and feel safe with, laughter comes easier and more often.   

Improve your health.  Laughter is a poultice for your body and soul.  By reducing various stress hormones, it enhances your immune system, it helps your heart by increasing blood flow and lowering blood pressure, and it can reduce pain by relaxing your body and releasing endorphins, which are a natural pain killers.

Laughter is cathartic for your mind and body.  It is also a complex physical reaction that moves through your body in glorious and delightful ways.  

Let's journey through the fullness and beauty of laughter as it ripples through your body from beginning to end.  


Precursor.

Believe it or not, there are a slew of neurological and hormonal changes that take place even before you physically laugh.

First, both the left and right sides of your brain get to work trying to make sense of some sort of incongruity or pleasant surprise.  Once the frontal lobe of your brain decides, yes indeed the Portland Frog is funny, it then passes it on to your limbic system.  

From there your body releases a cascade of hormones and neurotransmitters. The "feel good" cocktail mentioned earlier.

Keep in mind there is some chronology here, yet it is more of a complex dance with each one intertwining and lapping with the other.

All of this before the physical act of laughing.  

That comes next . . .


The Laugh.  

Once the stage is set, your brain then lets your body know it's now ok to cut loose.

Up to 15 facial muscles begin to fire, in particular the muscles around your eyes and mouth.  Eyes open wide with delight and your mouth opening into a full grin.

Your lungs begin to work overtime.  Your lungs begin to use deep but erratic breaths.  This helps increase your oxygen intake as well as increasing your lung's capacity.  

Your heart rate and blood pressure increase for a brief moment, pumping more oxygenated blood throughout your body.

The muscles of your diaphragm and abdomen contract and relax often and repeatedly.  Other muscles are used in your body as well, such as the intercostal, pelvic floor, back and shoulder muscles.   Ever notice how you feel a bit sore after a good long laugh?  You are getting a good workout as well!  

If you are laughing really deep and hard, you may begin to have tears in your eyes and you might sweat a bit.  You know you are in deep when this happens.  :)

After your laughter begins to subside, you may still be smiling yet your body is slowly beginning to reach a new state of equilibrium and begins to cool down.


The Cool Down.  

Once your laughter has passed, your body begins to unwind in delectable ways.  

Various endorphins and other neurochemicals can linger in your system long after the laughing has ended, contributing to a general feeling of well- being.

The fast and sporadic breathing from earlier subsides, and your breathing returns to its normal pace, perhaps even slower and fuller than before.

Your heart rate and blood pressure begin to drop to regular or even below baseline levels.  

Your muscles begin to relax and unwind.  You may begin to feel more content and relaxed.  

Your whole body may feel more at peace.  This state of being can sometimes last for up to an hour.


Lately I have been relishing how good it feels to laugh.  As this all unfolds in my body, I allow myself to create space for the laughter to be as full as possible and to linger with my laugh as it begins to fade.  So delicious.  

See if you can do the same the next time you find yourself laughing.  Take a moment to relish the complex beauty of laughter as it moves through your body.  

Your body will be forever grateful if you do.