Laugh It Up

Laughter is good for you and your family's mental and physical well-being.

Some mental health professionals say humor is one of the best ways to relieve stress, and research proves that laughter plays a key role in human life. A good laugh loosens muscles, lowers blood pressure, and may lower levels of hormones that create stress and weaken immunity. When you laugh, your body moves blood to your heart and lungs, boosting your energy level and making you feel better instantly. It also aids communication and creates a sense of closeness between you and the people you’re laughing with.

Until recently, researchers knew that laughing was good for us, but they didn’t really understand how. New evidence points to changes in the brain—not the imaginary funny bone—as the source for laughter. Researchers found that when people laugh, a part of the brain’s reward system is triggered. In this reward system, a person feels pleasure and wants to have the same pleasant feelings over and over again. The areas in the brain triggered by humor are the same ones that are triggered by drugs like amphetamines and cocaine.

Laughing and fun go hand-in-hand and laughing together as a family will bring you closer together, improve your mental and physical health, and may help prevent your child from using drugs. Look for laughs to stay healthy!

At times we all struggle to find joy and humor in our life; this could be a sign of a more serious mental health issue. Contact us to discuss if this is could be true for you.