Laughter is Good for your Health

Have you ever met someone who laughed at something childish and afterwards said, “I may be (fill in the blank) years old, but I will always be a child at heart!” Heck, maybe you are that person! Well, it turns out that this person is likely to live longer and experience a higher quality of life than the average adult. On average, the older we become the more serious we become about life. As a result, the average adult laughs only 15 times a day while children laugh an average of 400 times/day.

Some would argue that laughter is the best medicine. There is research suggesting that those who laugh more frequently typically:

• attract more friends,


• have healthier resting vitals,


• and feel happiness more often.

I think it is fair to say that quality of life could be measured based on how often one experiences happiness. When people laugh or smile, even when they do not feel especially happy, epinephrine and serotonin (feel good hormones) are released into the body and result in happy feelings.  Not only that, but when we laugh our breathing quickens. This exercises the diaphragm, neck, abdominals, face and shoulder muscles which causes increased oxygen consumption and has been shown to improve blood circulation and healing in the body. And if that is not enough, laughing also burns calories. Awesome! Professor William Fry at Stanford University reported that one hundred laughs burn approximately just as many calories as a ten minute session on a rowing machine.

One of the most incredible case studies on the healing effects of laughter is about a man named Norman Cousins. This man had a condition called ankylosing spondylitis. Ankylosing spondylitis is an arthritic condition that causes the vertebrae to fuse together causing a rigid and completely inflexible spine. Many doctors told him they could no longer help him and that he would live in excruciating pain before he died. Cousins then decided to rent every funny movie he could find, laughing as hard and loud as he could in order to live the rest of his life as happily as possible. After six months of inflicting constant laughter on himself, Norman amazed the doctors when they saw his condition had declined and eventually, disappeared. Norman Cousins had cured his life threatening disease with what seemed to only be using laughter therapy. This led to more research on laughter and the hormones associated with it. It was found that those who laugh more have an increased immune system. This is why, on average, happy people seem to rarely get sick and those who complain and are miserable seem to be ill more frequently.

So next time you hear something and are unsure if it is appropriate to laugh at, give yourself permission to laugh at it. After all, it can only help you live longer and healthier!

Please enjoy this video of true laughter! =D

Laughter

Nothing can banish a bad mood quicker than laughter. It is infectious and once you let it in, it can transform your day and outlook.  Laughter offers more benefits then you might think, it can provide benefits to our physical, emotional and social health

Physical Benefits	Emotional Benefits	Social Benefits
Relaxes muscles Improves memory Increases immunity Decreases pain Releases endorphins Improves sleep quality	Relieves stress Improves mood Reduces anxiety Shifts perspective Helps to relax Enhances creativity	Strengthens relationships Improves trust Enhance teamwork Provide a connection Increases attractiveness Brings comfort to social situations

How to increase laughter and joy within your life:

• Share one funny thing from your day with a loved one.  Knowing you have to share something, will keep you looking around throughout the day for opportunities to
  laugh!


• Seek out the humor in situations. Take a lesson from Patch Adams, laughter can be the best form of medicine.


• Surround yourself with people that make you laugh. This people will help you find humor and being joy into your life. We are naturally attracted to those who lighten our day.


• Seek humor in conversations: ask others what makes them laugh. Tell a joke or a funny story. Research has show that not only does humor strengthen relationships but it makes individuals more attractive to the opposite sex.


• Laugh at yourself! You are probably funnier than you think you are. Stay relaxed and don’t take yourself too seriously.


• Fake it till you make it. By simply putting a smile on your face, it’s very hard to resist smiling inside as well. You might find others smiling back at you as well.

Need a quick laugh?  Check out this funny video called Stuff Dieters Say

Check out our Laughter Is the Best Medicine board on Hilton Head Heath’s Pinterest page!

THIS JUST IN: H3 GIVING AWAY FREE STAYS

GOT YA!  April Fools!

 

Today is the first day of April.  For many – that doesn’t really mean much – except the start of a new spring month.  For some – their inner jokester lets loose and the foolery begins!

 

If you were the butt of an April fool’s joke today – there is a good chance you ended up with a few laughs.  Hopefully you didn’t end up too upset, because after all, laughing is good for you!

 

Check out our 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 countdown of the way LOL benefits the body and mind:

 

 Physical Health Benefits:

1.  Boosts Immunity.  Increases immune cells and decreases our stress hormones.

2.  Decreases Pain.  Laughter triggers endorphins they may temporarily relieve pain.

3.  Guards Against Heart Disease.  Improves our blood vessel functioning while increasing blood flow.

4.  Muscle Relaxation.  One solid bout of laughter relieves tension and stress for up to 45 minutes.

 

 Mental Health Benefits:

1.  Alleviates Anxiety and Fear.  When you laugh there’s no way to feel sad, angry, or scared!

2.  Elevates Mood.  Who doesn’t feel splendid when they are laughing?

3.  Reduces Unnecessary Stress.  An opportunity to relax, allows us to focus and be in the moment.

 

 Social Health Benefits:

1.  Enhances relationships and group connections.  Keeps them fresh and exciting, creates an emotional sharing effect.

2.  Does away with conflict.  Lets us stop judging, criticisms and doubts fly out the window. 

 

 Number one:

1.  Laughter is versatile and contagious.   No matter what’s going on in our lives a simple smile goes a long way.  Plus it’s fun, free, and easy to execute!

 

So now that you see all of the healthy benefits of laughing – I thought I would share one more fun fact… In a study done by Vanderbilt University, they found adults burn an average of 1.3 calories per minute. Looks like it’s time to laugh it up!

 

Did you pull any April Fool’s Day pranks?  If not – were you fooled?

  

 

Reference:

“Laughter is the Best Medicine” Melinda Smith, M.A., Gina Kemp, M.A., and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., May 2009, http://helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm

Hilton Head Comedy Club: A Healthy Hit

By: Jeff, H3 Program Intern

Thursday night’s about to strike, what to do!?  We can head to bed after a long hard day of exercise and engaging lectures at Hilton Head Health or hit the streets for a night out on the island. Regardless of how busy our guest’s days are it’s always fun to have an outing with the entire H3 family.

Since Fit Week 2009, we have added an every week adventure to the schedule, the notorious Hilton Head Comedy Club.  The club is owned and operated by John Biddle and Michael Paskevich and has given our guests the opportunity to experience Las Vegas comedic talent week in and week out.  Each week a different comic comes to town to provide a few laughs, and the talent these two gentlemen bring in is among the best.  To say the least, the outing has been nothing short of another healthy hit!

[caption id="attachment_1058" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Last week's BONK Show at Hilton Head Comedy Club"][/caption]

 

A Healthy hit, how so you ask?  Well, if we get to really thinking about it, laugh out loud fun supplies far more benefits to our minds and bodies than we may be aware.  Check out our 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 countdown:

 

 Physical Health Benefits:

1.  Boosts Immunity.  Increases immune cells and decreases our stress hormones.

2.  Decreases Pain.  Laughter triggers endorphins they may temporarily relieve pain.

3.  Guards Against Heart Disease.  Improves our blood vessel functioning while increasing blood flow.

4.  Muscle Relaxation.  One solid bout of laughter relieves tension and stress for up to 45 minutes.

 

Mental Health Benefits:

1.  Alleviates Anxiety and Fear.  When you laugh there’s no way to feel sad, angry, or scared!

2.  Elevates Mood.  Who doesn’t feel splendid when they are laughing?

3.  Reduces Unnecessary Stress.  An opportunity to relax, allows us to focus and be in the moment.

 

Social Health Benefits:

1.  Enhances relationships and group connections.  Keeps them fresh and exciting, creates an emotional sharing effect.

2.  Does away with conflict.  Lets us stop judging, criticisms and doubts fly out the window. 

 

Number one:

1.  Laughter is versatile and contagious.   No matter what’s going on in our lives a simple smile goes a long way.  Plus it's fun, free, and easy to execute!

 

Alright guys, so there’s the 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 when it comes to healthy humor. I encourage ya’ll to attend the Hilton Head Comedy Club when you make the trek down here. Guests week after week have enjoyed the top notch entertainment, and hey who knew a night at the club could provide so many benefits?

Let me just leave y’all with one more fun fact about laughing… In a study done by Vanderbilt University, they found adults burn an average of 1.3 calories per minute. Looks like it’s time to laugh it up!

 

For more information about the Hilton Head Comedy Club go to:

http://hiltonheadcomedyclub.com/

 

 

 

Reference:

“Laughter is the Best Medicine” Melinda Smith, M.A., Gina Kemp, M.A., and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., May 2009, http://helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm

A joke a day keeps the doctor away...

Laughter has health benefits…no joke!  Take a look at a few of the benefits --- and then get your laugh on with a few ‘healthy’ jokes.

Short – Term Benefits

Not only do a few giggles release the tension and stress, but actually stimulate physical changes in your body.

-          Stimulate your organs.  Laughter increases your oxygen intake, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles.  End result: releases feel-good endorphins from your brain.

-          Activate and release your stress response.  By laughing – you actually increase your heart rate and blood pressure giving you a relaxed feeling.

-          Soothe tension and stomachaches.    Laughter can also ease digestion and stimulate circulation, which helps reduce the physical feeling of stress.

Long – Term Benefits

-          Improve your immune system.  Positive thoughts activate responses that actually help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses. 

-          Relieve pain.  Laughter actually causes your body to produce natural painkillers.  Say good-bye to tension headaches!

-          Increase personal satisfaction.  Laughter can make a negative situation a little bit easier.  Turn that frown upside down!

 

Try these jokes on your family and friends -- I’m sure you will get a good laugh!

Q:  Why couldn't the sesame seed leave the gambling casino?

A:  Because he was on a roll.

 

Q: What did the mayonnaise say to the refrigerator?

A: Close the door, I’m dressing!

 

Q: What's the worst thing about being an octopus?

A: Washing your hands before dinner.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Source:  Mayoclinic.com