Laughter is the Best Medicine
The Health Benefits of Humour and Laughter
Laughter is good for your health
- Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
- Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
- Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
- Laughter protects the heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.
READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE AND BY CLICKING ON LINK BELOW.
http://www.helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm
Laughter… did you know?
‘A clown is like an aspirin, only he works twice as fast.’
Groucho Marx
Researchers have found that:
- Laughter and humour are great ways to reduce tension as they are often followed by a state of relaxation.
Humour can help to:
- Lower blood pressure
- Elevate mood
- Boost the immune system
- Improve brain functioning
- Protect the heart
- Connect us to others
- Make us feel good
- Reduce stress
Laughter helps us make and maintain social relationships by increasing our energy levels.
Only 10-20 per cent of laughs are related to jokes. People telling an anecdote laugh 50 per cent more than those listening
It is estimated that children laugh over 300 times a day whereas adults laugh only 15 times. Children laugh as early as seventeen days after birth
Some apes use laughter-like behaviour – laughter may be the root of language
Phoenix is the editor of this site and was diagnosed with bipolar twenty years ago. In between 8 periods of illness and hospitalisation she trained as a garden designer and was a awarded an RHS Diploma, gained a first class degree in Cultural Studies and a Certificate in Education that enables her to lecture in Recovery in Mental Health to psychiatric nurse students and mental health professionals at universities.
Phoenix leads a diverse life which she attributes to Wellness Recovery Action Planning and all aspects of Recovery. In the last 2 years she performed stand up comedy. Laughter truly is the best medicine! Now she is concentrating on being involved in improving conditions for inpatients and service receivers trustwide. And training in WRAP, Recovery Star and the new Advanced Statement and some gardening for health. 
