My granddaughter, Lilly, whom I’m going to shamelessly share with you here, has developed the most wonderful belly laughs, where she smiles, coos and her dimples begin to show. She especially likes when her Mimi (guess who?) giggles, and joins in. I love it!
I’m sure many of you have experienced the wonderful sense of good feelings after a good laugh.
Laughter can be liberating, inspiring, and simply good for you! Belly laughs, where your entire being shakes with mirth, can be especially good for you. Your whole body gets a good work out.
Laughter can:
- Boost immunity.
- Improve your mood
- Ease aches
- Increase pain tolerance (unless your pain is in your belly!)
- Relieve stress
- Dispel negative thoughts
How, you may be asking?
Research shows laughter helps relax the body, particularly the lining of the arteries leading to the heart, and the corresponding heart muscles. It can increase the blood levels of natural pain killers and neurotransmitters, and releases hormones that make us happy and relaxed. Laughter provides oxygen to your entire body, which is healthful and refreshing.
Laughter can improve your relationships, too. Comedian Bob Newhart, in a recent interview on his life and love, quipped, ‘There’s something about laughter and the longevity of a marriage.” Those who laugh out loud are more often remembered, versus those who sigh and complain.
This is not to make light of the serious situations many of us face currently. But, rather, it is to allow you to give yourself permission to laugh when you can and as much as you’d like. Read funny stories, jokes, watch funny movies and shows, or just refrain from taking things TOO seriously! We all need a boost, and this is a fun way to stay healthy!
To Your Vitality!
