When’s the last time you had a good laugh?
Maybe it happened just recently while watching a cat video on YouTube or seeing a funny meme.
Whatever the reason for your cheesin’, try laughing more — it’s good for you.
“There have been a lot of studies and work done over the years, and it’s been shown that laughter is, in some ways, the best medicine,” said Dr. Brandon Crouch, with the OhioHealth Physician Group Primary Care practice in Lexington.
Laughter can help reduce blood pressure, improve blood sugar, relieve stress, aid in sleep and improve mood, he said.
It’s also been found to produce endorphins.
“Those endorphins act on the body similar to a runner’s high, so you get a good, solid improvement in your mood and you feel very warm and very happy and the body is able to release a lot of tension, which if you’re having issues with depression and anxiety, can dramatically help improve how you feel,” Crouch said.
In much the same way, a sidesplitting laugh can improve blood pressure by causing you to relax and take deep breaths.
“Most of us know if you have a big laugh, you have to take a few deep breaths to come back from it, and the act of taking big, deep breaths can improve blood pressure and can make you feel more calm,” Crouch said.
Taking time to laugh can have longterm benefits, too.
“Instead of worrying all the time about what could happen and all the downsides of how things go throughout the day and in our lives, laughter allows us to release all of that pent-up energy and frustration and stress. The next thing you know, you just feel a little bit better,” Crouch said.
So go ahead and laugh a little.
We’ll help you out with these reader-submitted funny photos.
