“Laughter is like internal jogging! In many ways as good as physical exercise.”
Joyce Meyer
I LOVE to laugh. Those of you who know me, work with me (as clients or co-workers), or if you have walked by my office door- You know I like to laugh. Tamara and I learned a lot in Graduate School. However, one thing we learned was how to laugh and not get caught! (Sorry professors! Look at us now- we really were listening! Just having fun doing it!)
Have you ever noticed how you feel right after a good laugh? You feel relaxed and calm. There are reasons for this and great reasons to let yourself laugh! Here are just a few of the many reasons to let the laughter flow:
1. It increases our blood flow, which is great for everything in your body.
2. It lowers cortisol and adrenaline, which are stress hormones we release when we are stressed about something. Accessive stress hormones can cause many problems, including depression.
3. It stretches your muscles. In fact, many “stretch” this to say it gives you the same feelings as a mild workout.
4. It increases your immune system, which helps us fight off sickness and disease.
5. When we learn to laugh at ourselves, we don’t take everything so seriously.
There are MANY reasons to laugh. But these are the most important. I believe a great sense of humor plus a positive attitude can change your day from a bad day to a good one. It can make a heavy, difficult marriage feel a little lighter. It can change the nasty attitude your child may wake up with into a little kid who can’t quit smiling. And it can make all of us healthier and happier people.
Try to think of some ways to add laughter in your life. Watch a funny sitcom before going to bed, to relax your body. Sit with a friend and laugh at old pictures! Read a joke book and share some tasteful ones with someone. Play tag with your kids and watch them laugh (it’s contagious!) Make it intentional and it will become more natural.
Thank you for reading and have a humor-filled day!
Written by Natalie Chandler
Natalie Chandler, MA, LMHC is a therapist at Imagine Hope Counseling Group. Natalie enjoys doing marriage counseling, individual counseling, and couples counseling. We also specialize in family counseling, child, and adolescent counseling. Imagine Hope serves the Indianapolis area including the surrounding areas of Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Westfield, and Zionsville