We smile and laugh very often, don’t we? A meme that you come across on instagram, a funny reel sent by your friend, or just when your friend trips and you burst out laughing are some of the most common instances where you find humor and laugh.
Humor is something that is often looked upon as a form of communication that creates fun, like watching a stand-up comedian crack joke after joke, but what most of us do not realize is that humor is not intended just to be fun but is rather a powerful tool that can profoundly affect our mental health, and not just mental health, but our overall health. We all have heard the phrase how “laughter is the best medicine,” but have you ever experienced it?
Humor and laughter play a very important role in improving and then maintaining our emotional well-being, reducing stress, and improving our mental health. Let’s delve into the world of humor and see how it affects our daily lives!
What is Humor?
Humor is a unique, social phenomenon that causes people to laugh and creates a change in the environment where people usually start feeling very happy and positive because they are introduced to something light and entertaining. It is an inherent mode of expression that helps us handle the daily stressors and challenges that we face.
Still, it goes way beyond being just a positive mood lifter as when we engage with humor, it enhances our mental clarity besides developing our social relationships, and at the same time, acts as one of our coping mechanisms when we don’t want to face the reality and want to stay in denial for some time.
But you might ask why is humor important for our mental health as it is just an expression. It is important because it triggers our psychological and physiological response mechanism in a way that can help people relax and strive even in the face of stress and anxiety. From a psychological point of view, comedy provides a new view to deal with situations that may bring about tension or discomfort.
7 Amusing Roles That Humor Plays In Our Life
When an individual laughs, their brain releases various hormones and chemicals which are feel-good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins and they fill up their brains immediately which instantly makes you feel so much better than before.
This release of feel-good chemicals is similarly released when you work out. We are not saying that working out and watching TV Show “Friend”s are the same, but they produce the same effect mentally which is very positive.
So, these chemicals affect our mental health:
- Endorphins: These natural painkillers reduce physical discomfort and create a sense of euphoria.
- Dopamine: Often termed as the “reward chemical,” dopamine increases concentration, acts as a drive and makes you happy.
- Serotonin: is another neurotransmitter that is in charge of controlling mood, sleep, and anxiety. Depression symptoms can also be raised during a serotonin surge.
Another advantage of engaging in humor is that it is also a strong stress reducer. Laughter causes your body to decrease the levels of hormones that are responsible for putting your boy into the fight-or-flight response where you are stressed and anxious such as cortisol and adrenaline. Lowered levels of these hormones then decrease your stress and anxiety; thus, one becomes better mentally and more emotionally happy.
One of the most known psychological benefits of humor is that it serves as a coping mechanism for many of us. Everyone is different and has their own way of dealing with stressful situations. Some of us like to not feel the difficult emotions instantly after it has occurred.
That moment, when you don’t want to sit with your feelings, engaging in something humorous helps you leave your mind away from the problem, giving space to let your emotions settle down without taking control of you. You must have experienced a time when you were frustrated and didn’t feel good but then someone cracked a joke that made you laugh or appreciated you in a funny way which made you feel better, even if for some time.
Humor also plays a deep role in creating social bonding as well, because when people laugh together, they become close to each other and very comfortable with each other too. When people laugh together with others, it breaks down all barriers and allows deeper emotive communication between them.
You must have noticed that cracking random jokes in front of strangers is very difficult but being a complete crack with your best friends is not very difficult, but rather very easy and fun. Humor also improves and creates empathy and thus strengthens relationships because when two individuals laugh together, they can understand each other better and know where they are coming from.
Engaging with humor may also help you build emotional strength to some extent. During a difficult situation, some people tend to use humor to explain the situation in a much lighter way, just to not think about the reality of the situation, which helps them cope better and thus helps them build emotional strength. Using humor also makes the situation a little manageable and thus they feel a little powerful if not anything else.
Only the application of humor can bring about a shift in viewpoint. We are not arguing that people should simply disregard reality; rather, we are arguing that humor helps individuals cope and gain strength in the short term, after which they can begin to feel the challenging thoughts, once they have gathered the strength that they require.
Apart from impacting one’s mental health in the best way possible, laughter also has a huge influence on our physical health. Here’s how:
- Immune System: Laughter results in the increase of the count of immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, hence improving your resistance to disease.
- Improves Heart Health: When you laugh, the blood flow becomes well and the oxygen supply of the body system is appropriately maintained. For this reason, they have a lesser tendency towards heart problems.
- Relieves Pain: Laughter, through the chemical release of endorphins, serves as a natural painkiller for individuals dealing with chronic pain.
So, when are you going to book tickets for a stand-up comedy show? Or when are you going to join a laughter yoga class? Hopefully SOON because humor is much more than just a source of entertainment.
When you find something humorous, you not only laugh but you start feeling mentally and physically well too. From alleviating stress to improving moods, from building social connections to improving physical health, the list of benefits of humor is endless.
So the next time life gets tough, remember to laugh!
The GoodLives App embraces this joy with wellness challenges, mood-boosting activities, and calming meditation sessions. It’s your companion for balancing mental health with a sprinkle of humor and lightness every day.
If you are having a tough time dealing with stress or anxiety, or day-to-day situations in general, try talking to a therapist today. Then, you will get your well-deserved smile back 🙂
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