The best cure for stress is laughter! Laughter and health

home Laughter - This best medicine from all diseases! Every person has many reasons to be sad. Our problems may arise for a long time to annoy, which affects well-being, while taking over the psyche. As a result, stress mental disorders

, complexes, fears.

You can and should help yourself. People who often go to the bathhouse or have a massage say that after the session it is as if they were born again, having received a dose of relaxation therapy. But the state of relaxation lasts a couple of days, since such procedures, as a rule, are aimed at relaxing the muscles, but not the psyche or emotions. That is, you can help yourself temporarily, but you also need to take care of the more capacious process of “removing the dirt” from yourself. And this is a change in attitude both towards life and towards yourself. Scientists have found that in our brain there are areas responsible for physical and positive outlook on life

. If these zones are stimulated, a number of diseases can be cured. There are no medications to affect the influence of these zones, but there is one remedy that is easily accessible, not bitter, like pills, and generally has a lot of pleasant moments - laughter.

Laughter is like a key It is known that laughter and good mood are positive and can even influence a person’s well-being. It also has a number of advantages over medications. For example, it will not harm either the liver or the stomach, that is, it is harmless and has no side effects. If a person has certain doors between life and himself, then laughter can be the key that opens these doors. Various fears, complexes, stereotypes, even cynicism - we ourselves may not realize how many of these doors we have created in us. All these doors are sometimes created in order to protect ourselves from the pressure of life's troubles. The problem is that then these doors begin to put pressure on us. Our task is to learn how to use the key to first open the door slightly, and then swing it open towards positive life

. At first there will be no global changes, but a breath of something new will still happen.

Laughter therapy It is common knowledge that there is, which itself is a potent antidepressant. Laughter can relieve tension, which helps you feel physically better, and if used wisely, you can achieve action that will generally help you think differently about problems. Laughter releases a lot of wasted energy. Then the body itself will learn to direct this released energy in the direction where it is needed - restoration or rejuvenation.

Help yourself laugh

Laughter therapy practice used all over the world. There is a problem that everyone faces" laughter therapists" - how to make a person laugh. Any means can help - audio recordings and video jokes, tickling, but it happens that people don’t like one of the comedians, or are not in the mood, then these recordings are simply annoying. There is no one method for everyone. But you can find a way out - every person knows how to laugh. Experts have concluded that we train laughter. In order to laugh, you don’t need any external stimulus, you just need to trust your laughter as a friend, and, as a rule, this will not be a particular problem. When you have already learned to “turn on” laughter, experts will help you engage in laughter therapy more deeply.

There is also a small difficulty - after you have already learned to “turn on” laughter, but have not yet learned to “turn it off”. Your instructor will tell you how to learn how to stop laughing - nothing is impossible for a person who wants and can help himself.

Gradually everything that accumulates in a person will be swept away - nervous system , psyche, physiology and even intellect will be cleared, your condition will become stable, you will learn to relate to life more simply, life will become easier, happier. The people who surround you will notice this and will be drawn to you, because you want to communicate with an easy-going person who laughs at difficulties.

Feeling depressed? Just smile and Bad mood will go away as if it never happened! Don't be afraid to laugh - you will be amazed at how your life and your health will change.

Health Benefits of Laughter

A good, kind laugh is useful not only because it lifts your spirits. People who love to laugh get sick less, are less likely to get irritated and do not know what depression is.

LAUGHTER CALMES DOWN

Laughter releases endorphins - happy hormones that help get rid of irritation and sadness. Even if you just remember for a moment how you laughed recently, your mood will improve. Research by British psychologists has shown that after watching a funny film, a person’s level of irritation decreases several times. Moreover, the subjects' mood was lifted by the mere thought that they would soon laugh - two days before the planned viewing of the comedy, they were angry half as often as usual.

LAUGHTER IMPROVES SKIN

What other benefits of laughter? If you laugh often, you can forget about expensive cosmetic procedures to improve your skin, because laughter tones your facial muscles and improves blood circulation, resulting in a natural glow.

LAUGHTER STRENGTHENS RELATIONSHIPS

The ability to laugh together is extremely important for establishing a good and kind relationship. Connection between people and them general idea about what can be funny allows them to be more open with each other. If you joke, you are not afraid to seem funny. Which means you trust.

LAUGHTER INCREASES IMMUNITY

Laughter helps fight infections - this is such a benefit for humans. After a minute of sincere laughter, the body throws out Airways a large number of antibodies that protect against bacteria and viruses. Laughter also increases the production of white blood cells, which fight various diseases, including cancer.

LAUGHTER HEALTHY THE HEART

Thanks to laughter they expand blood vessels and blood circulates better. Ten minutes of laughter can significantly reduce blood pressure and reduce the risk of cholesterol plaques. Laughter helps even those who have experienced heart attack, - doctors believe that a good mood reduces the likelihood of a second attack.

LAUGHTER RELIEVES PAIN

Happiness hormones, endorphins, which are produced when a person laughs, are our body’s natural painkillers. Also, when you laugh, you take your mind off feeling unwell and at least for a few minutes you forget about the pain. Doctors have long noticed that patients who are positive and find the strength to laugh endure pain much easier than those who are sad.

LAUGHTER DEVELOPES THE LUNGS

Laughter is one of the best exercises for people suffering from asthma and bronchitis. During laughter, the activity of the lungs is activated, and thus the supply of oxygen to the blood increases, which allows clearing stagnation of phlegm. Some doctors compare the effects of laughter to physical therapy chest, which eliminates mucus from the respiratory tract, but for people, laughter has an even better effect on the respiratory tract.

LAUGHTER CONQUERS STRESS

British scientists have studied the effect of laughter on people's health. Two groups of volunteers were created. One group was shown recordings of comedy concerts for an hour, while the second group was asked to simply sit quietly. After this, the experiment participants took a blood test. And it was found that those who watched the humorous concert had lower levels of the “stress” hormones cortisol, dopamine and adrenaline than the second group. The fact is that when we laugh, it intensifies exercise stress to all parts of the body. When we stop laughing, our body relaxes and calms down. This means that laughter helps us get rid of physical and emotional stress. Scientists say that a minute of sincere laughter is equivalent to forty-five minutes of deep relaxation.

LAUGHTER HELPS YOU BE IN SHAPE

In fact, laughter is a type of aerobic exercise because laughing allows you to breathe in more oxygen, which stimulates your heart and blood circulation. It is even considered “internal” aerobics, since everyone is massaged while laughing. internal organs, allowing them to work more efficiently. Laughter is also good for strengthening the abdominal, back and leg muscles. One minute of laughter is equivalent to ten minutes on a rowing machine or fifteen minutes on a bicycle. And if you laugh your heart out for one hour, you will burn up to 500 calories, the same amount you can burn by running fast for an hour.

HAPPY PATH TO A HAPPY LIFE

Today, researchers believe that only 50% of our ability to be happy is genetic. “The Rules of a Happy Person” will help you realize your potential, teach you to enjoy life and give you the opportunity to laugh more often. And besides, laughter prolongs life!

BE AN EXTROVERT

Be talkative, confident and not afraid of adventure. Where to begin? For example, from a walk in the forest in the company of old friends. Have fun, joke and feel free to express your emotions.

TALK MORE

Studies have shown that people who speak their minds openly are happier than those who remain silent. This doesn't mean you have to say everything that's on your mind. Just learn to express your opinion and defend it - it will help you feel happier.

COMMUNICATE MORE WITH FRIENDS

Friendship is the true source of happiness. If you have friends you can rely on, you won't feel lonely. Moreover, psychologists say that to be happy, women need warm relations with other women. Contrary to popular belief, female friendships have a greater impact on us. strong influence than relationships with men.

EXPECT NOTHING

Expectation of happiness is the biggest obstacle to happiness. I will be happy when I lose weight/move to a new apartment/move to a new job/find the man of my dreams. Focus on what you have and be happy right now. And beware of all the “when” and “else”: they are the ones that prevent you from being happy.

TAKE LAUGHTER SERIOUSLY

Make it a very serious goal to laugh every day. Think of laughter as a vitamin that you need to take regularly. You have no time for jokes because you don’t have enough time? Here's what we can offer:

• an evening on the couch watching your favorite comedies;
• a pleasant dinner with friends;
• going to the cinema or to an amusement park with children (even the sight of happy children will make you laugh with pleasure);
• talking on the phone “about nothing” with a cheerful friend;
• at least once every two weeks, trips to stores in search of new funny books and magazines to have some fun.

ABOUT positive impact Even ancient thinkers wrote about laughter on life expectancy. Later, during the Middle Ages, laughing in public was not accepted for cultural and religious reasons. Laughter was associated with the machinations of the devil. But it is impossible to completely prohibit people from laughing, because this is a reaction of the body that is sometimes impossible to control.

The Man Who Made Death Laugh

Explore laughter with scientific point vision began only at the beginning of the 20th century. And in 1964, the first case of successful treatment with laughter therapy was registered. American journalist Norman Cousins ​​suffered from a rare and very severe form of joint inflammation. The disease affected the entire skeletal system. The doctors could not help him. With his doctor's consent, Norman left the hospital, rented a hotel room for three weeks, and watched comedies non-stop during that time. He did not stop laughing and recovered.

Patients treated with laughter therapy take fewer painkillers

Joint mobility was restored, Norman was able to return to work and even play tennis. Cousins ​​dedicated a book to his miraculous healing. A separate science about the benefits of laughter has emerged - gelotology. Norman Cousins, nicknamed "the man who made death laugh," even lectured at medical university, although he was not a doctor himself.

Treatment with laughter

Laughter affects the body in three ways.

• Firstly, it puts stress on the muscles. In this regard, laughter can be called pleasant gymnastics or compared to a short jog. Along the way, laughter stimulates work digestive system. When we laugh, the abdominal muscles tense, followed by the smooth muscles of the intestines. As a result, peristalsis improves.
• Secondly, laughter engages the respiratory system. It provokes irregular breathing, similar to what yogis practice: inhale, hold, and then a series of short exhalations. This type of breathing causes emotional relaxation. The lungs are completely emptied of air, gas exchange accelerates. This helps reduce cholesterol and normalize blood pressure.
• And finally, the third act– psycho-emotional: when we laugh, the brain produces more endorphins (hormones of happiness), which relieve pain and tension, and more neurotransmitters responsible for good mood, good spirits, memory and sleep. It is believed that patients treated with laughter therapy take 30% less painkillers.

Laughing is allowed

Laughter is the most important defense mechanism given to us by nature against stress. According to the theory of evolution, any reflex helps in preserving the species. Of all living creatures on Earth, only man can laugh. Perhaps it was laughter that helped us survive. And it still helps.

Laughter helps you find mutual language With strangers and become part of the new team. Many business consultants advise their clients to specifically prepare appropriate jokes for difficult negotiations. The ability to competently defuse a situation in a timely manner is conducive. People quickly gain trust in those who know how to make people laugh and laugh sincerely. Laughter brings people together, unites and relieves tension. Purely psychologically, it is more difficult to argue with a person with whom you just had a hearty laugh.

In addition, laughter is a way to cope with circumstances and make it easier to survive moments of crisis. It has long been observed that when the economy declines and living standards decline, the ratings of comedy shows increase. And there is nothing wrong with watching them. Laughter is the most accessible cure for depression and some diseases.

About the expert

– French neurologist, specialist in the treatment of depression and syndrome chronic fatigue. Author of the books “Psychosomatique du rire”, Broché, 2003) and “Hidden depression: identify, control and free yourself” (“La dépression masquée: L"identifier, la maîtriser, s"en libérer", Poche, 2001 ).

Laughter therapy. The most effective medicine Laughter restores our body.

Even 2000 years ago, Hippocrates noted in one of his writings the benefits of laughter as a remedy. And this is true: when laughing, the muscles of the body relax, food is better absorbed, and nervous tension is relieved. It is estimated that a person needs per day laugh for at least 17 minutes.
Laughter therapy is one one of the methods of psychotherapy, practiced by modern psychologists around the world since the 60s.

Geotology - science about laughter, claims that a person can treat some of his diseases with laughter.

Fray William, an American physician, says that laughter is a special way of breathing. When a person laughs, his inhalation is prolonged, and his exhalation, accordingly, is shortened. This is how the lungs are completely freed of air due to the intensity of breathing during laughter.

Laughter restores our entire body.

Laughter is a wonderful medicine, helping to cope with the disease. When a person laughs, his body produces lymphocytes that fight infection and endorphins that dull pain. Thanks to endorphins, we also experience a feeling of pleasure.

Doctors say that people who laugh often have faster complete recovery occurs.

Laughter is like cleansing the body. Almost all human problems arise from internal tension, which accumulates gradually throughout life. These problems manifest themselves both at the physiological and mental levels. Accumulated tension interferes with the normal circulation of a person’s vital energy. And for human health it is very important to freely receive energy in the right amount and give it away just as freely. Accordingly, in order to feel happy, a person must, first of all, get rid of the pressures accumulated since childhood.

The lightest and effective method to do such a cleaning - laugh.

Laughter is also a wonderful breathing exercise., This fun process also strengthens the abdominal muscles. Half an hour of laughter can be equated to fifty lifting of the body from a lying position. Some scientists claim that laughter stabilizes the functioning of the brain and of cardio-vascular system

Laughter increases creativity and the ability to solve various problems and even improves appearance - tones the facial muscles.

How important is it to be able to laugh at your failures, errors that immediately change to positive emotions and fade into the background.

Laughter is not only the universal key to longevity , but also the path to health and well-being.
When man laughs The intensity of blood flow to the brain increases, and the cells of the gray matter of the brain receive a larger dose of oxygen. As a result, fatigue goes away, headache, blood circulation in the vessels improves, the upper respiratory tract is cleansed, endorphins are produced - hormones of happiness, depression disappears, as well as other mental illnesses.

Do it now simple exercise– stand up, take a breath and... laugh! Happened? No? We are too are serious, which is why it is so difficult for us to laugh sincerely. But it is laughter, and not the usual smile, that brings the maximum benefit. Practice and you will learn to laugh at any moment.

Do another exercise– smile and keep the smile. Your train of thought and even your mood will begin to improve - and now your smile will no longer be fake, but real.

Exercises must be performed in front of a mirror.

1. Take a deep breath and as you exhale say: “ha-ha-ha”, “ho-ho-ho”, “hu-hu-hu”, “he-he-he”.

2. Stretch your lips into a smile, then squeeze them tightly. Repeat several times.

3. Stick your lower lip forward, then bite it, repeat several times.

4. Move your mouth to the right, left.

5. Try to reach your nose with your lower lip and relax.

6. Repeat the first exercise.

Seeing funny faces in the mirror will make you smile. This means that the mechanism for producing “joy” hormones will be put into action. And that's great!

Wise nature gave man laughter not in vain. He frees great amount energy, rejuvenates us and heals us, makes it possible to throw off the burden of accumulated thoughts and problems. So laugh more often - you will be healthy!

Let a smile give you health

+ My husband tried to have a mistress, I dissuaded him - “They say it’s too expensive, we won’t bear it: I’d rather take a lover: an extra penny in the house won’t hurt.

What are you drinking?
— The name consists of 2 animals. Cognac.
— How much do you drink?
- Swap the animals...

+ I was all so unexpected - I went to the refrigerator to eat a piece of cucumber and suddenly ate - FIVE CUTLETS!

If you have only one tooth left in your mouth, rejoice - now you can clean it from all sides.

+ When I asked her to marry me, she fell from her chair, jumped on the bed for about 15 minutes, ran around the apartment with happiness, and then answered with a sour face:
"I will think".

+ Tea is a very universal word! If you invite a friend for tea, it all ends with drinking, and if it’s a man, with sex!

+ The conductor at the bus stop shouts to the driver from the back of the bus:
- Kolya, wait, there’s a man running there!
After a couple of seconds:
- Kolya, let's go! I know him, he has a travel card.

Results:

We get“happiness hormones” - endorphins

We get joy and pleasure after stressful everyday life.

We remove negative and destructive programs

We increase vitality

We develop self-confidence and sense of humor

We raise creative activity

You've probably heard the saying that laughter prolongs life, but is it true? Norwegian scientists were also puzzled by this issue and conducted a study to study the effect of laughter on people under 70 years of age.

You will laugh, but laughter, or rather, one of its reasons - humor - really has a healing effect and increases life expectancy. How does this happen and why?

Humor allows you to look at a situation from a different perspective, which prevents you from being plunged into despair or obsessing over the problem. A person who uses humor is like a flexible boxer deftly dodging the heavy blows of a bruiser with biceps of steel. It would seem that the strength is on the side of the stronger, but the nimble and nimble dodger still has the advantage!

Humor and its younger sister Irony help you not to lose heart and see alternative ways to solve a problem.

It turns out that there are 4 types of humor:

SELF-DEPRESSING IRONY - it’s just that you joke about yourself and allow them to joke about you. You like it when people around you laugh at you. Sounds scary and offensive? This is the type you need to work on. Self-irony helps to get rid of vanity, hypersensitivity and resentment and, therefore, makes you invulnerable! Self-irony the best remedy learn not to take anything too seriously, even your loved one 😉

AFFILIATE HUMOR - terrible in name, but very effective and beneficial in its effect. This form of humor is characteristic of those who like to joke with friends and like to tell funny stories. In this humor, the main role is played by the wit and talent of the storyteller.

AGGRESSIVE HUMOR - this type is especially common among men, since it represents the same competition and struggle for power supremacy, but not on the muscular level, but on another, more sophisticated level - on the verbal-intellectual level. Aggressive humor does not always sound aggressive; sometimes it is even disguised as affectionate teasing or even an expression of regret.

SELF-AFFIRMATING HUMOR - in this state of mind, you can remain optimistic and notice something pleasant or funny, even in not the most fun situation. Actually, you need to joke about the situation itself. This type of humor is good because it can lift your spirits even when you yourself are the cause of your failure or there was simply a misunderstanding - and the main thing is to achieve your goals. Typical situations - when at the most crucial moment the Internet suddenly dies without even saying two words goodbye; or when you've lost your keys, got stuck in traffic, or are faced with a bill that's too high...

It’s interesting that sarcasm (the second name for aggressive humor), as well as self-irony, are well received from a man’s lips, but if a woman jokes like that, it can cause not the most pleasant feelings. So go ahead and sing! Truly a panacea for all ills is self-sustaining humor, but only for ills! If your whole life looks like an endless cruel joke, and you are not the author, it’s time to think about it. For example, write a damn funny story about it and make a group of funny friends laugh with it!