Today, March 19th is Let’s Laugh Day! While this isn’t something I was aware of before doing a little research, it’s a great idea. With all that we’ve been through this past year, laughter might be something we’re all a little short on. It’s never good to be serious all the time and letting the laughter bubble up from time to time is good for all of us! We’ve all heard the saying, “Laughter is the best medicine,” well today is the day to take your medicine.
Benefits of Laughter
Some studies have shown that laughter has a lot of different benefits ranging from the physical to the mental, and even socially. Who doesn’t need a little help any of those areas in our busy and hectic world?
It has physical health benefits like boosting your immune system, lowering stress hormones, decreasing pain, relaxing your muscles, and preventing heart disease. Mentally it adds joy and zest to life, eases anxiety and tension, relieves stress and boosts your mood, and is proven to strengthen resilience. Social benefits include strengthening relationships, attracting others to us, enhancing teamwork, helping to diffuse conflict, and promoting group bonding.
As we all know, laughter can also be contagious. Even faking it seems to have some benefits—classes called “laughter yoga” engage the abdominal muscles, lungs, arms, and facial muscles while using humor to get us laughing to cure what ails us. And it’s easy enough to fake it for the benefits; all you need to do is laugh!
Just think about it: remember a time when you and a friend had one of those long bouts of uncontrolled laughter? The one that ends in tears and aching stomach muscles lasting a good 10 minutes or longer? Well, you burn around 40 calories every 10 minutes of laughing and while that doesn’t seem like much, it is! Not only are making good memories, but you’re burning some calories as well.
How to Observe the Day
There are so many ways you can celebrate Let’s Laugh Day! Here are a few ideas for you:
- Change the ringtone on your phone to a laughing baby or something else guaranteed to get a laugh when heard.
- Use humor to make someone’s day.
- Take some time to laugh.
- Watch a favourite comedy with family.
Whatever you choose to do, use #LetsLaughDay to post on social media so everyone can share in the fun!
Let’s catch up soon,
Julie
