National Humor Month: The Power of a Laugh

Are you having a miserable day? Just laugh! This probably sounds counterintuitive, but research shows laughter has healing powers for the body and mind. When you don’t feel like laughing is probably when you need it most.

Since April is National Humor Month, it’s a good time to add a dose of humor to your daily life. After all, you probably aren’t laughing nearly enough. One study found the average kindergartener laughs 300 times a day, but adults only laugh 17 times a day on average. Life gets more stressful as we grow older, but surely we can fit a few more laughs in.

The power of laughter

Even if you don’t feel like laughing, fake it. Researchers have found that even if you are only acting, you will likely experience the emotion you are trying to feel. That’s to say, if you smile you will probably feel happier, whereas if you frown you may worsen your mood.

Why should you laugh? It’s good for your health.

• It reduces stress: laughter lowers cortisol levels in your body, a hormone that is produced when we’re stressed. The reduced stress will even help you be more creative and productive.

• It lifts your spirits: Your mood elevates when you laugh, so if you feel depressed you may feel a lot less depressed after a good laugh.  

Some research out of Oxford University suggests that laugher even reduces pain by improving blood flow.

Like yawning, laughter can be contagious, so to celebrate National Humor Month, spread the joy.