The Power of Laughterby Beth McHugh | More from this Blogger 15 Jun 2008 05:48 PM They say that laughter is the best medicine and they're not wrong. Not only is laughing fun to do but it has long-term health benefits, especially for mental health. And it also contributes to you leading a longer (and happier!) life. Dr. Tim Sharp, a psychologist from the Happiness Institute in Sydney, Australia maintains that laughter has positive benefits, both physiologically and psychologically. Sharp claims that: "People who see the funnier side of things tend to be more resilient. These people are also able to see things from a different perspective." Laughing clubs have sprung up around the world as a response to the research that started back when Norman Cousins locked himself in a hotel room and watched funny movies for weeks and ultimately cured himself of a disease about which the doctors had said: "Sorry, mate." Laughter is good for weight loss, makes you more productive at work, obviously improves your interpersonal relationships and generally makes life go a whole lot smoother. When we laugh our blood pressure drops and can remain lower for some hours after. Endorphins, those feel-good hormones that have such a good reputation these days, are also released after a good chuckle. It goes without saying that laughter is an excellent stress release. Just when you feel like you might explode with frustration at the situation you're in, along comes a wise-cracking friend and "whoosh!" - all the stress just melts away, as oxygen is pumped into our bodies and our blood pressure drops. For those suffering from low grade depression, laughter clubs can be a real boon. Not only do these clubs provide a social outlet, but the physical act of regular laughter helps to slowly chase those blues away. Even the anticipation of going to a laughter club or indeed, watching a funny movie can be enough to get those endorphins flowing and your mind ticking over nicely. Laughter definitely is a valuable tool to be added to your arsenal of stress reducing exercises. Contact Beth McHugh for further assistance regarding this issue. Want an easier way to keep abreast of Beth's latest blogs? By clicking on the "Subscribe via Email" link in the subscription box to the right, you will receive email notification of each new blog as it is published. Related articles: Are You Running the Show or is the Show Running you (1)? Are You Running the Show or is the Show Running You (2)? The Benefits of Positive Thinking Stress Relief with Aromatherapy Seven goals for Good Mental Health Learn more about Beth McHugh  Beth McHugh began her career as a geologist and worked both in industry and as a university researcher. Relevantmental health tags pregnancy | children | sex | parenting | family | marriage | Scrapbooking | Kids | christmas | relationships User Comments edwardmanoj (5) 19 Jun 2008 11:34 AMHumour is a vital coping mechanism, enabling people to defuse stress, deal with humiliation, deflate embarrassment and mentally cope with pain and suffering. At the right time and in the right context, most people are able to find laughter helpful in examining their plight, even in the face of terrible adversity. Laughter can be therapeutic for medical staff too. It helps put problems into perspective, acts as a cathartic and relaxes, relieving the tensions and stresses of suffering, as well as the pressured job that is the lot of the doctor or nurse. So laughing helps patients cope with illness, doctors cope with their patients, and everyone in the hospital rub along with the failings of the rest of the team. ---------------- Dave Drug Alcohol Rehab Drug Alcohol Rehab Community Tags laughter and mental health, laughter and stress reduction, laughter clubs, laughter and endorphins, laughter and depression Discuss this article
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