Go On, Laugh it Up

Laugh your way to better health

Why did the chicken cross the road? The punchline doesn’t much matter—as long as it gets a laugh. We’ve all heard that laughter is the best medicine. We’re not pulling your leg when you tell you that it’s true.

Short-Term Benefits

A good laugh not only lightens your mood, but it also causes positive physical changes in your body. Laughter helps:

• Stimulate organs
  When you laugh, you take in oxygen-rich air. That stimulates your heart, lungs, and muscles, increasing the endorphins that are released by your brain.
  

• Activate your stress response
  A good laugh charges up your body’s ability to deal with stress, creating a good, relaxed feeling.
  

• Release tension
  Laughter can also stimulate circulation and encourage muscle relaxation, which reduces some of the physical symptoms of stress.

Long-Term Benefits

No joke. Laughter is also good for you in the long term. Laughter can:

• Boost your immune system
  Positive thoughts formed by laughter can release neuropeptides, which help fight stress and potential illnesses.
  

• Relieve pain
  Positive thoughts formed by laughter can release neuropeptides, which help fight stress and potential illnesses.
  

• Elevate personal satisfaction
  Dealing with a difficult situation? Laughter can make it easier to cope—and it helps you connect with other people.
  

• Improve your mood
  Reduce your stress and amp up your happiness. Laughter can help keep depression and anxiety at bay.

With all the benefits laughter brings, it’s a good idea to put some humor on your horizon. So share a laugh by trying to answer the age-old question: Why did the chicken cross the road?