The Magic of Laughter!

Who hasn’t enjoyed a deep, long and contented laugh with their family and friends? When was the last time we laughed till our stomachs hurt? When was the last time we wiped away our tears as we laughed out loud?

Research has shown that there are many benefits of laughter that can go a long way when it comes to adding a bit of sunshine to your day. It is a great way to see things from a different perspective. In fact, adding humour to your day can also help you see things more positively.

Listed below are some benefits of laughter and reasons why we should all include humour in our daily lives:

A Great Way to Relax

There are many social benefits of laughter. Research has shown that laughter reduces the levels of a stress hormone called cortisol and increases the levels of ‘feel good hormones’ called endorphins. This is very similar to the happy and heady feeling that we get after a really good workout session or a great run!

Laughter Burns Calories

Laughing for a few minutes every day can effectively burn ten to forty kilocalories. In fact, laughing intensely for 60 minutes can burn as many calories as when we lift weights for 30 minutes. Now that’s something, isn’t it? So laugh yourself to that perfect weight you always dreamed of!

Laughter Adds Years to Your Life:

A Norway study conducted a while back, concluded that people who laugh more live longer as well. The process of laughing increases the amount of oxygen flowing to the brain and in turn the blood flow to the heart. This protects the heart from all kinds of cardiovascular diseases which is one of the greatest benefits of laughter.

A great immunity booster, laughter also helps keep people positive and positive people tend to stay healthy and recover fast. The key to a healthier and happier life, laughter is indeed the best medicine!

Laughter Diffuses Anger

Nothing diffuses anger between two people than a hearty laugh shared between them. A great way to manage conflict, laughter brings people together and dissolves disagreements. A laugh also strengthens the bond between people. After all, can you think of anything more refreshing than sharing a laugh with our closest, over a cup of coffee or tea?

Laughter Improves Memory

There is a very positive co-relation between laughter and memory. Studies have shown that people who laugh more, have reduced levels of stress hormones, lower blood pressure and a better state of mind. And it is this state of mind that changes our brain activity leading to amped up memory and recall. In fact, a study conducted on older people concluded that if they included even 20 minutes of humour in their daily lives, there was a marked improvement in their short-term memory. Now that is no laughing matter, is it? It is time we take the importance of laughter seriously and inculcate it in our daily lives.

Mentioned below are some ways through which we can enjoy the benefits of laughter in our daily lives:

• Spending time with pets: Pets are a great way to unwind and always bring a smile to our faces. A lot of research has been done that proves that playing with pets can have impressive results when it comes to the emotional and mental health of people. This is also one of the main social benefits of laughter.
• Spending time with children: Nothing beats spending time with our children. Whether it is a board game with your children, or watching a funny family movie together or just dressing up in silly costumes, laughing with your children can be a great stress buster! At KLAY, we encourage parents to spend as much time as possible with their children to get the twin benefit of both distressing and providing the nurturing environment your child deserves.
• Listening to music: Dancing along to the favorite tunes of a family can go a long way when it comes to relaxing after a long and tiring day of work. Don’t forget to add a few funny moves for the family to laugh about!

At the end of the day, however, we must realize that as we all get caught up in our daily routine lives, a lot of us tend to forget to take the time out to just sit back and relax. Whether it is a lazy brunch with an old friend, curling up in front of a good book or just enjoying a hearty laugh with your little one, it is these little breaks that we take, that make any day brighter.

Laughter is magical, laughter is contagious, and it has been rightly said that a day without laughter is a day wasted! How true is that?

So let’s smile more often, laugh out loud, bond with our children and try and enjoy every single moment of our life!