![\"\"](\"http:\/\/radianthealth.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/laugh-resized.jpg\")
If you\u2019ve heard the phrase once, you\u2019ve heard it a thousand times: Laughter is the best medicine.<\/p>\nIf you\u2019ve heard the phrase once, you\u2019ve heard it a thousand times: Laughter is the best medicine.<\/p>\n
But is there any science to back that up, or is it just this thing we say now and again to make ourselves feel better?<\/p>\n
The answer may surprise you. As it turns out, laughter has a number of impacts, both short and long term.<\/p>\n
In the short term, when you laugh, you\u2019re increasing the amount of oxygen your body is getting, which helps to stimulate your muscles, heart and lungs. In addition to that, it increases the output of endorphins in your brain, commonly referred to as the \u201cfeel good hormone.\u201d<\/p>\n
It also helps to soothe tension by stimulating circulation while simultaneously aiding with muscle relaxation. That removes some of the physical symptoms related to stress. Laughter triggers and eases your stress response, causing your heart rate to initially increase, and then decrease by a greater factor. That has the impact of lowering your blood pressure.<\/p>\n
In the longer term, the more you laugh, the more you\u2019ll find that your mood improves and your personal life satisfaction increases. Laughter also helps to reduce pain levels, so if you\u2019re a chronic pain sufferer, having a sense of humor about it can help more than you might believe. In addition to that, laughter actually increases the amount of neuropeptides in your body, which help fight stress and ward off illness.<\/p>\n