FAST RELIEF WITH NO SIDE EFFECTS: IT'S TRULY A LAUGHING MATTER .
We’re bombarded with them every time we turn on the television – commercials for the latest and greatest medicines to treat everything from severe depression to minor aches and pains. But one “medicine” exists that you will probably never see advertised on TV. Though not a miracle drug, this medicine has produced miraculous results in people with all kinds of different ailments. And the best part is that it has no negative side effects! You can’t buy this miracle cure from a pharmacist, and you won’t find it on store shelves. Fortunately, it is inherent in each of us. So what is this amazing “drug”? It’s laughter.
“Lab experiments have demonstrated that laughter positively affects the respiratory system, the cardiovascular system, the muscular system, the central nervous system, the endocrine system, and the nervous system,” says Humor Therapist Jacki Kwan. “If you want to experience the results for yourself, the prescription is simple: Laugh!”
For thousands of years, scientists, philosophers, and psychologists have touted the health-enhancing benefits of laughter. By working in assisted living facilities, Kwan has seen these benefits firsthand. “Many of the people I interact with are suffering from debilitating illnesses or are dying, yet Humor Therapy brings that ‘spark’ of life back to them. Laughter produces endorphin-like reactions, thus causing our perception of pain to diminish.”
Aside from the physical benefits of humor therapy, people experience numerous emotional benefits. “Tests show that people in mirthful laughter exhibit the same brainwaves of those in a meditative state,” says Kwan. Laughing releases uncomfortable emotions and opens you up to a positive and hopeful mindset. The more you laugh, the easier it will be to relax, thus dramatically reducing your stress level.