What is Laughing Therapy/How Does it Work
“Laughing is the most beautiful and beneficial therapy God has ever granted humanity” ~ Charles R. Swindoll
Have you ever walked into the park early morning for a jog and wondered why a bunch of old folks fake a smile and laugh unnecessarily?
Well, here is the chance of finding out…
Laughter is really the best medicine. When you laugh your body releases feel-good chemicals helping with chronic pain just like medicine would. Laughter can too improve your mood. Laughing therapy uses humor to help relieve pain and stress and improve a person’s sense of well-being. Now as the elderlies at the parks suggest, one has to fake a smile; giggle then laugh slowly and gradually increase the tempo and volume. Hearty laughter: Spread the arms up in the air, laugh with all its glory, and direct your laughter to come straight from your heart, and gradually immerse into your body and soul -bring the arms down, and again raise them up.
TOP 7 BENEFITS OF HUMOR THERAPY?
- Laughing relieves pain: Not only does a good, hearty laugh distract you from your torment but it also relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after. Laughter and humor can increase pain tolerance.
- Improves the immune system: Laughter boosts the immune system as it decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your disease resistance. (Click here to see it for yourself)
- Social benefits of laughter therapy: Research carried out in Sweden has scientifically proved that laughing is contagious. Just smile and the whole world will become happy.
- Improves your breathing: When you laugh, your diaphragm, chest, and abdominal muscles tighten. This makes the lungs work harder by forcing stale air out and allowing fresh air deeper into the lungs. It can also improve your self-esteem.
- Laughter therapy for reducing depression:
Research has found that one of the easiest things we can do to overcome distress, uncertainty, or a depressed mood, is to laugh. - Healthy Workout: Laughing 100 times is the equivalent of 10 minutes on the rowing machine or 15 minutes on an exercise bike burning 10 to 40 calories. If you find exercise a bit of a chore try laughing to get that fit feeling.
- Secures the heart :
Laughter therapy is the fastest approach to lower blood pressure. As per research humor and laughter can assist in lowering systolic blood pressure to help the process!
“Your Body cannot heal without play. Your mind cannot heal without laughter. Your soul cannot heal without joy.”
~Catherine Ripperger Fenwick
Why is laughing helpful when losing weight?
Laughing tends to improve your metabolism naturally, which influences your body to burn more calories and lose weight.
Did you know?
If you laugh between 10 and 15 minutes a day, you will burn off 10 to 40 calories.
There is more than one exercise other than laughing- to reduce pain and stress. If you are curious to know read An Ultimate Guide to Expressive Arts Therapy (2021)
Top 5 Laughing Therapy Exercises and Techniques
- Greeting exercises: This is a type of laughing technique where you greet everybody the way you normally greet (e.g. shake hands) and replace words with laughter.
- Cell phone laughter: Hold an imaginary cell phone to your ear and laugh.
- Gradient laughter exercises: To perform this exercise one has to first Fake a smile; giggle then laugh slowly and gradually increase in tempo and volume.
- Heart-to-heart laughter: In this way, you have to Spread your arms up, look up, and laugh heartily as you direct your laughter to come straight from your heart, to the entire world
- Think of a socially awkward situation and laugh at it: (e.g. shoelaces untied, shaving cream behind your ears…)
Just take a look, there are not 1 or 2 or 3 but so many reasons not only emotional but physical and mental too, for you to smile and laugh. Now you Ask what are the positive, effects and emotions of laughing therapy. the clear answer is -with a good wholesome hearty laugh -whatever that makes you feel alive and powerful and above all stress-free.
Leave all burdens up to the world to handle you just spread your hands and invite the big blue sky to fly you in.
Don’t worry! you are not alone, check- Group Therapy- Benefits, Types, and Activities | GoodLives.