Backslapping belly laughs, hearty chortles, spirited giggling and even dry chuckles all constitute a very real form of healing. The initiating spark of humor can come from an outside source, or a spontaneous eruption of hilarity strictly within one’s mind. It doesn’t matter, it’s all the same to your brain.
Within a few seconds of laughing the pharynx constricts, and fifteen different muscles in the face start to tighten. When muscles reach the apex of their tightening, the body dispatches an enzyme which stops the contraction and initiates relaxation. Hard-working muscles receive a reward- a potent, high dose of a relaxation-inducing enzyme, which creates the perfect outlet for releasing facial tension. At its essence, laughter is actually a powerful massage for your face.
Laughter produces physiological reactions such as the amping up of your pulse and heart rates. When both these rates increase in unison, the rate of respiration speeds up and breathing becomes stronger. As a benefit, this strong, forceful breathing helps clear out mucus from the lungs, and ups the level of life-giving oxygen flowing in your blood. Basically, the longer, the harder, the deeper the laughter, the more rigorous and hearty your cardiovascular system becomes.
And if there’s nothing to laugh about, what then? Then force a laugh, literally fake it. The brain isn’t the least bit concerned about the source of enjoyment, whether it’s a real laugh, or a faked guffaw, it all produces similar benefits for your body. Even just the anticipation of laughter can fire off a positive reaction reeling through your system. Oftentimes, forced laughter results in the real thing, especially with a persistent effort.
Try it out for yourself. Begin by making weird faces in order to loosen up your facial muscles. Then, no matter how weird it may feel, force yourself to laugh for a couple minutes. A few techniques to experiment with include: holding your belly and bellowing loudly, dramatically throwing your head back with a silent laugh, or doing your best imitation of an evil, snickering kind of laugh. When you’re finished, take a few minutes to absorb the sensations in your body and observe the great results in your mental state.
Have you ever laughed so hard that you cried? It can feel so incredibly good, deeply and viscerally, to be so carefree and thoroughly engaged in the act of making oneself happy. A gentle smile lasting only a few seconds, whether you’re truly feeling it or not, will always produce small quantities of happiness -otherwise known as endorphins. Next time you need help convincing yourself that you are at peace, let a serene smile escape from your lips. Even this small act can instantly change your neurochemistry.
