A HEALTHY DOSE OF LAUGHTER
I read that a child laughs 400 times a day on the average, while
an
adult laughs only 15 times each day. Which is puzzling since
laughter
feels so good and is so good for us!
You may know the benefits of laughter on the mind and spirit, but
are
you aware of how much a good laugh can help you physically?
Norman
Cousins has said that laughter is so beneficial for your body
that
it is like "inner jogging."
Reports say that...
laughter aids breathing by disrupting your normal respiration
pattern
and increasing your breathing rate. It can even help clear mucus
from
your lungs.
Laughter is also good for your heart. It increases circulation
and
improves the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to tissues
throughout
your body.
A good laugh helps your immune system fight off colds, flu and
sinus
problems by increasing the concentration of immunoglobulin A in
your
saliva. And it may help control pain by raising the levels of
certain brain chemicals (endorphins) .
Furthermore, it is a natural stress reliever. Have you ever laughed
so
hard that you doubled over, fell off your chair, spit out your food
or
wet your pants? You cannot maintain muscle tension when you are
laughing!
The good news is that you are allowed more than 15 laughs a day!
Go
ahead and double the dose and make it 30 times today. (You may
begin
to notice immediate improvement in your relationships! ) Then
double
it again! You are bound to feel better, you will cope with
problems
more effectively and people will enjoy being around you.
Laughter: it's just good medicine!
(Contributed by: Aarthy Vijayasarathy)
