Welcome back.
This is day two,
The importance of laughter.
And I just wanted to highlight several key benefits of laughter on our physical health and not just on our physical health,
But also on our mental and emotional wellbeing.
So let's jump right in.
All right.
So one of the things that laughing does is that it can actually help to normalize our blood pressure.
If you are someone who has dealt with high blood pressure for a large part of your life,
Then you probably are on medication or either you are taking something else or doing something to help keep your blood pressure regulated.
Laughter is just like they say,
Some of the best medicine,
Right?
And so by laughing,
It can help to lower blood pressure levels,
Which will help to reduce your risk of stroke and heart attack.
So if you're looking for a simple way to intentionally help to keep your blood pressure in range,
Then definitely make sure that you are including a little extra laughter in each day.
Number two,
Reduce cortisol.
Cortisol is a stress hormone that is produced by your adrenal glands.
And you've probably heard me say before how the adrenal glands are really like the body's stress response center,
Right?
When you think of fight or flight,
That's your adrenal glands.
And by reducing the level of stress hormones like cortisol,
You're actually reducing the anxiety and the stress that physically impacts your body.
So by laughing,
You are counteracting a lot of these things that we definitely don't want affecting our bodies.
And also by reducing our stress hormones,
You're actually benefiting your immune system.
Laughing,
Whether it's by yourself or with another person can actually relieve some of the day's stresses and can help you reap the benefits in a really big way.
So that's number two.
Number three,
Well,
If you're getting in a really good laugh,
You might actually be working your abs.
So I know that every laugh isn't going to have you bending over,
Slapping your knee,
But on those days where you find yourself really just enjoying maybe a comedy show or a good joke,
Or just spending time with family and friends,
You can actually strengthen your stomach muscles by laughing.
And yes,
It may sound silly,
But think about it.
When's the last time that you had a really good laugh?
Do you remember how your stomach muscles ached right after?
So working your abs is definitely something that I think everybody can use a little bit more of.
So just yet another reason to include laughter into your daily routine.
All right,
Next up,
Improves cardiac health.
All right,
So heart health is very important.
Cardiovascular disease is still the number one cause of death for women.
And that's not good.
A lot of that comes from stress that accumulates and is not dealt with.
It's not positively handled or rectified.
And so we definitely want to avoid cardiovascular issues.
Hormonal imbalance can attribute to cardiovascular issues in women,
But laughter can help to offset some of that.
So it's a great cardio workout,
Obviously,
If you are getting in a good laugh,
Especially if you're someone who doesn't do a lot of other physical activity.
So it will help to get your heart pumping.
It does help to burn some calories,
Almost the same amount as walking at a slow to moderate pace.
So laugh your way into heart health and remember that,
That that's important.
And we definitely want to make sure that we are strengthening our heart muscles and using them.
So laughter is a great way to do that.
Number five,
Boost your immunity.
We talked a little bit about that just a minute ago about the stress hormones,
But boosting your immunity or boosting your T cells that actually are those specialized immune system cells,
Those basically are waiting to be activated.
And when we laugh,
We activate those.
They actually help to fight off illness and germs and things like that.
So if you are feeling under the weather or you know how you can kind of get that little sense that something doesn't feel right and you need to maybe take some time to rest,
Add some laughter into your day.
And that can definitely help to jumpstart your immune system.
And next up on the list is the release of endorphins.
So you know how it feels when you get a really good workout in,
You feel great afterwards,
No matter how hot,
Sweaty and stinky you may be,
Your body has released endorphins.
These are natural painkillers.
And your mood is boosted as well,
Right?
Well,
When you laugh,
The same thing happens.
Your body releases endorphins.
These are natural painkillers.
And so they can help to ease chronic pain.
They can help you to feel good all over.
So it's not your imagination.
And they can just help to put you in a better mood.
So it's not just a matter of getting a good workout.
It's a matter of getting a good laugh.
And so it's not the first thing you would think of doing if you're not in a good mood.
It may even seem a little counterintuitive.
But just know we have so many free things at our fingertips that we can use to really help us get back on track.
And last but not least,
This one's pretty general.
Laughter really just gives an overall good sense of well-being.
You know,
We talk about our physical health.
And we know that well-being is so much more than just your physical body.
We are spiritual beings in a physical body.
And so that means we have to take care of our spiritual health,
Our mental health,
Our emotional health.
And all of these combined with our physical health work together to make up our whole being,
Right?
And so laughter can help to produce a general good.
And also your outlook and your mindset have a huge part to do with how well you feel.
You know,
There have been studies that show if you take two people with the same chronic condition or with the same illness,
If they each have a different outlook on their health and on their life,
Their prognosis changes.
And so if you remain positive and if you have a good outlook on your health,
On your circumstances,
On your life,
Those types of people tend to fight illness better and feel better for longer periods of time than those people who tend to be more negative.
So I would like to say that I feel like these things can definitely help to increase our longevity because our mindset is everything.
How we look at our health despite our circumstances,
Even when they are not in an ideal place,
How we choose to see our environment and what we're going through really does make all the difference.
So I hope that you take these tips and incorporate a little more laughter into your daily routine.
Find something that just makes you laugh,
Whether you're by yourself or whether you are with others,
Definitely take a little time to incorporate this back into your life.
All right,
Guys,
I will see you in the next lesson.
