{"id":11898,"date":"2024-10-31T03:11:10","date_gmt":"2024-10-30T20:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=11898"},"modified":"2024-10-31T03:11:10","modified_gmt":"2024-10-30T20:11:10","slug":"3-ways-laughter-improves-your-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=11898","title":{"rendered":"3 Ways Laughter Improves Your Health"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When was the last time you laughed? Like, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">really<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> laughed?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult laughs 15 times a day while a child laughs 400 times a day. That\u2019s quite the difference!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As adults, we can often count our number of laughs per day on both hands. And even though we might chuckle several times, a chuckle is not the same as an uncontrollable fit of laughter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes I find myself going <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">days<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> without enjoying one of those life-giving, full-belly laughs. I don\u2019t want to live that way! I have a feeling you don\u2019t want to live that way either.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The reasons we might laugh less as adults are far and wide. Some argue increased screen time has reduced the face-to-face interactions that lead to shared laughter. Others emphasize how high stress levels and social pressures of adulthood may contribute to a decrease in laughter as people contend with the challenges of daily life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rather than trying to identify the reason adults laugh less than children, I want to emphasize how and why laughter is so important for our health and well-being. It influences the way we feel, think, and live. It truly is a form of medicine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My hope is that, after being reminded of the power of laughter, we all might choose to return to the cheerful state once experienced in childhood.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h4><b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"color: #008080;\"><strong>1.) Laughter affects the way we <em>feel<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/b><\/h4>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Laughter begins in the brain, specifically in the regions associated with humor, reward, and emotion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each genuine laugh encourages our bodies to release endorphins, often referred to as the \u201cfeel-good\u201d hormones. At the same time, laughing reduces stress hormones such as cortisol. This dual effect helps to alleviate tension and promote relaxation, leading to a calmer state of mind.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Endorphins not only elevate mood but \u2013 believe it or not \u2013 also act as natural painkillers. It\u2019s actually rather incredible \u2013 endorphins act at various points along our neural pathways to reduce the transmission of pain signals, effectively dampening the sensation of pain. In some cases, laughter has even been found to reduce the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">perception<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of pain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Research also suggests that laughter can have a positive impact on the immune system. The release of endorphins and other neurotransmitters during laughter may help to enhance immune function by increasing the production of immune cells and antibodies. This boost to the immune system can potentially strengthen our body\u2019s ability to fight off infections and illnesses.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, laughter serves as a natural stress reliever, pain reliever AND immune system booster. Isn\u2019t that amazing??\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h4><b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"color: #008080;\"><strong>2.) Laughter affects the way we <em>think<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/b><\/h4>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Especially as a Type A woman, I can tend to beat myself up when I mess up. I have a feeling many of you can relate. Why do we do this though?? We\u2019re human, of course we make mistakes!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/faithful-workouts\/id1447450987\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Faithful Workouts App<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, I led a challenge called \u201cLove Yourself Healthy.\u201d One of the days is dedicated to the importance of laughing at ourselves. In the video below, I share some personal anecdotes about times I chose to laugh instead of getting upset at myself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><iframe style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\" title=\"Day 4 laugh\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/836320642?badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintaining a sense of humor in difficult situations can provide a valuable coping mechanism, allowing us to face adversity with a lighter heart and a clearer mind.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Laughter reminds us that even in embarrassing and dark moments, there is still light and laughter to be found.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h4><b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"color: #008080;\"><strong>3.) Laughter affects the way we<i> live<\/i><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/b><\/h4>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I love the ways laughter is described throughout Scripture. It\u2019s described as having the power to lift the spirits of the downtrodden, soothe the wounds of the heart, and bring comfort to the weary soul.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a gift from God, given to those who trust and love Him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHe will yet fill your mouth with laughter<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and your lips with shouts of joy.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Job 8:21<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Job, a righteous man who did good in the eyes of the Lord, endured some serious hardships. Seriously \u2013 if you don\u2019t know his story, I HIGHLY recommend reading the book of Job in the Bible. Read the first chapter <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Job%201&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Instead of cursing God when faced with trials, he praises God. And in return, God gives him the gift of laughter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The reason laughter is such a powerful gift is because of its transformative nature.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A cheerful heart is good medicine,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Proverbs 17:22<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this proverb, King Solomon is explaining how a person\u2019s attitude affects a person\u2019s health. An attitude of joy is key to experiencing a healthy and fulfilling life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I pray that, no matter the difficult circumstances you face, the Lord strengthens you to walk through each one with a cheerful heart. May our laughter be a testimony to the joy and hope we have in Christ!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is one way you will begin to incorporate laughter into your day?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script  type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\t\t\t\t!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n\t\t\t\t\tn.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;\n\t\t\t\t\tn.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n\t\t\t\t\tt.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,\n\t\t\t\t\tdocument,'script','https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n\t\t\t<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/faithfulworkouts.com\/3-ways-laughter-improves-your-health\/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=3-ways-laughter-improves-your-health\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When was the last time you laughed? Like, really laughed?\u00a0 According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult laughs 15 times a day while a child laughs 400 times a day. That\u2019s quite the difference!\u00a0 As adults, we can often count our number of laughs per day on both hands. And even though &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11898","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fitness"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11898","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11898"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11898\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11898"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11898"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11898"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}