Send to a Friend
Print Article
Add to FavoritesLaughter
The importance of laughter is now well documented.
We give you the gift of laughter here with a simple list of laughter activities for you to create for yourself. 'Our' list of jokes is not going to work, or funny DVDs or comedy CDs.
What I think is funny, may merely make you smirk; but our Tips to Make People Laugh - to make you laugh, can have wide-ranging affects on your mental and physical health.
“Humor is hazardous to your illness!”
What Is Laughter?
First of all, I need to explain, laughter is not the same as humor. Laughter is the physical response to humor.
Laughter consists of two parts -- a set of movements and sounds. When we laugh, our brain causes us to conduct both those activities simultaneously. When we laugh with gusto, changes occur in many parts of the body, even the arm, leg and abdomen muscles.
How many muscles does it take to laugh? Although I have searched then net extensively, and asked this question in several scientific forums, I have not yet received a full answer. There are fifteen facial muscles involved in laughing. Meanwhile your lungs and chest also move into action. Sometimes when you have a good belly laugh, or 'laugh till you cry', or emerge from a funny movie or comedy evening where you have 'laughed your heart out'; you have felt a bit like a wet rag - Yes? Well the reason for this is that you have just had a great aerobic workout. So how many muscles would that involve?
What muscles do you use to smile?
Usually 4 and about 35 to frown: now you know how many muscles to frown or smile, smiling seems the best option. Read the article All About Smiling
Laughter is contagious.
Researcher Dr Provine is among only a few people who are studying laughter believes that laughter, like the bird's song, functions as a kind of social signal. Other studies show that people are 30 times more likely to laugh in social settings than when they are alone. Provine also says that we have a "detector" that responds to laughter by triggering other neural circuits in the brain, which, in turn, generate more laughter. This explains why laughter is contagious.
Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH)* is an international community of professionals who incorporate humor into their daily lives. AATH is the leader in providing evidence-based information about current research and practical applications of humor.
Laughter is the Best Medicine
Ron Berk, PhD, (The Johns Hopkins University), of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor* in “What everyone Should Know about Humor and Laughter” has researched the effects of humor, mirth, and laughter.
*Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH) is an international community of professionals who incorporate humor into their daily lives. AATH is the leader in providing evidence-based information about current research and practical applications of humor.
Humor is the cognitive perception of playful incongruity.
Mirth is the positive emotion that accompanies humor.
Laughter is the respiratory-vocal behavior that communicates this emotion to others.
The findings on humor, mirth and laughter are as follows:
Humor (when used appropriately and sensitively)
• Reduces stress, anxiety, and tension
• Promotes psychological well-being
• Raises self-esteem
• Improves interpersonal interactions and relationships
• Builds group identity, solidarity, and cohesiveness
• Enhances memory (for humorous information)
Mirth
• Increases pain tolerance
• Elevates mood
• Increases hope, energy, and vigor
• Counteracts depression and anxiety
• Enhances creative thinking and problem-solving
• Increases friendliness and helpfulness Laughter
• Intensifies mirth
• Is contagious (induces mirth in others)
• Increases interpersonal attraction and closeness
• Exercises respiratory muscles
So, let's laugh more…..
Tips to Make People Laugh
The gift of laughter is a precious one.
First, it is just plain fun, but more importantly, the mental and physical health benefits are now emerging. So you want some tips to make people laugh?
Or better still how to laugh your self?
It is interesting that we can't tickle ourselves - and laugh. Research has established that part of laughter is in the unknown anticipation, the unexpectedness of the stimulus; whether it be a tickle, or a joke, or unexpected event that makes us laugh.
Laughter is contagious.
Part of laughter is sharing. You can listen to a funny video or CD, and laugh, but after many viewings you may not laugh as much; but when you are viewing with a friend, you will more than likely laugh together.
• At least once a week watch a funny video or comedy sit com show and consciously laugh out loud
• Join a Laughter Club - see below, they are fun, and you feel so energised after a session
• Laughter is contagious - so look out for the annual Comedy Festival or local Comedy Club in your city - and make sure you book to take in a few of the shows - with a friend, or as many friends as possible
• Collect things that you find funny - jokes, cartoon books, funny stickers. Stick them around the house, read some from your collection once a week. Keep laughing
• Play funny CDs in the car on your way to work, or on your MP3 player. You'll arrive in a great mood - and will affect your work colleagues
• Surround yourself with funny friends and spend as much time as possible with them
• Be funny every chance you can, as long as it is not at someone else's expense
• Make sure you laugh out loud at something - even yourself, actually, particularly yourself, at least once a day
• Buy a Laughter CD, and listen to it regularly - with others
• Make a scrap book with things you get that are funny, or things that have happened to you that are funny
• Roll on the floor with your kids or your dog. Try a pillow fight just for fun
• I collect the REALLY funny things that are sent to me by email - in a box labelled FUN, and look at them every now and then - just to laugh
• Try to see the funny side of something that does not seem funny at all. Laugh.
• Join a mailing list to receive a Joke a Day
• Get a couple of funny books from the library or bookstore and dip into them - and laugh
• Figure out what makes you laugh and do it (or read it or watch it) more often.
• Develop your own sense of humor. Maybe even take a class to learn how to be a better comic -- or at least a better joke-teller at that next party.
Don't forget to laugh out loud!!!
Dr Madan Kataria and Laughter Yoga
Dr Kataria is the founder of laughter yoga, the laughter-based exercise regime that's sweeping the world. Since starting with the first Laughter Club of 5 people in India in 1995, laughter yoga has spread to more than 6500 clubs in more than 55 countries.
Dr. Madan and Madhuri Kataria
Laughter Yoga and Dr Madan Kataria video
How do you do Laughter Yoga?
Dr. Kataria created a series of exercises to be followed during the laughter sessions. His motto is “Fake it till you Make it”. He says that when you laugh with a group of people, pretty soon you really will be laughing. Even the fake laughter is beneficial. The body doesn't discern between fake and real laughter.
During the laughter sessions various methods of inducing laughter are used; clapping, chanting 'ho ho ho ha ha ha', and other laughter chants, breathing and several arm actions. You might find yourself being asked to pull funny faces at others or to move about and mingle within the group. Pretty soon you will find your energy rising, and that feeling of 'excitement' or invigoration that comes with an increase of endorphins, will spread over your body. The laughter becomes contagious and you will carry this great feeling with you into your day. As Dr Kataria says: 'While a person is laughing, they cannot at the same moment experience stress.'
Want to Join a Laughter Club?
They are all over the world, 6500 of them. There is sure to be one in your region.
Check here, or Google Laughter Club (You can use the google search bar below), to find one close to you. At least give it a try - just once.