“… he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.” (Proverbs 15:15b)
“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine…” (Proverbs 17:22a)
Joy and laughter can counteract the negative effects of stress. Having a good laugh helps us in many ways.
Here’s how a merry heart improves our health:
- Laughter can help to build up our immune system.
- Laughing reduces the release of cortisol (the stress hormone).
- Joy and laughter lower blood pressure and heart rate, helping to relax you.
- Laughing promotes serotonin release (which reduces depression and anxiety).
- Laughing promotes release of the body’s natural pain killers (endorphins).
- Positive humour helps us to look at things in a less stressful way.
It’s worthwhile to find things that make you laugh out loud and pay attention to them, because good-natured humour helps us de-stress physically and emotionally.
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