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UNIT- I [Health & Medicines]
Topic- Laughter –The Best Medicine

Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict.
Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and
body back into balance than a good laugh .Laugh makes us happy
even in bad conditions. Laughter is our birth right , a natural part
of our life that’s is innate & inborn. Laughter makes us feel good.
And the good feelings that we get when we laugh remains with us
even after the laughter subsides. Humor helps us to keep a positive
, optimistic outlook through difficult situations , disappointments
and loss. More than just a respite from sadness and pain, laughter
gives us the courage and strength to find new sources of meaning
and hope. Even in the most difficult of times, a laugh–or even
simply a smile–can go a long way toward making you feel better.
And laughter really is contagious—just hearing laughter primes
your brain and readies you to smile and join in the fun…..

We laugh because it is good for our health. A good , hearty
laugh relieves physical tension and stress leaving your muscles
relaxed. It also decreases stress hormones and increases
immune cells and infection – fighting antibiotics. Laughter is
all about playfulness .We laugh because it makes a clear
distinction between Happiness and Joy. Happiness is a
conditional response of the mind which is totally dependent on
the fullfillment of certain desires of the mind. The ability to
laugh, play, and have fun with others not only makes life more
enjoyable but also helps you solve problems, connect with
others, and be more creative. People who incorporate humor
and play into their daily lives find that it renews them and all of
their relationships……

Laughter helps us to stay healthy. Laughter works wonderfully well in
the moment, but it also has some surprising long-term health
benefits. Here are some benefits of laughter which affects our health…
-Lower blood pressure
-Increase vascular blood flow and oxygenation of the blood.
-Reduce certain stress hormones such as adrenaline.
-Improve alertness, creativity, and memory
-Increase memory and learning
-Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood
flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other
cardiovascular problems.

-A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress,
leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
-Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune
cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your
resistance to disease.
-Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s
natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall
sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
-Keep things in perspective. Many things in life are beyond
your control—particularly the behavior of other people. While
you might think taking the weight of the world on your shoulders
is admirable, in the long run it’s unrealistic, unproductive,
unhealthy, and even egotistical.

Laughing proves to be a medicine when we feel sad or hurted
emotionally. It overcomes our stress and tension. If a person is
sad or depressed, his body also appears quite lifeless and
sluggish. In such situations laughter is the best medicine or just
a physical work like walking, jogging, playing etc. In an unhappy
state of mind , if we bring ourselves to behaving or acting happy
or just fake laugh , soon enough we will start feeling light-
hearted and chirpy indeed..!!

Laugh is an integral part of human being because when ever we feel sad or
stressed if laugh for even a half minute we feel light hearted. We ourselves
realize if we don’t laugh a day..But an adult use their brains or minds first to
comprehend humour and then decide if they have to laugh. Very often , they
suffer from what is said in Hindi the LKK syndrome , that is ‘Log Kya
Kahenge’. On the other hand children who do not allow themselves to bee
affected by the LKK syndrome. It is promise that the body makes to the mind
to indulge in playfulness moment by moment and thereby give relaxation to
it.. Laughter dissolves distressing emotions. You can’t feel anxious, angry, or
sad when you’re laughing.
Laughter helps you relax and recharge. It reduces stress and increases
energy, enabling you to stay focused and accomplish more.
Humor shifts perspective, allowing you to see situations in a more realistic,
less threatening light. A humorous perspective creates psychological
distance, which can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed.
These were the some reasons why laughter is an integral part of human
being……..

What is laughter therapy?
We were born with the gift of laughter. Laughter is a natural medicine. It lifts our spirits and
makes us feel happy. Laughter is a contagious emotion. It can bring people together. It can
help us feel more alive and empowered.
Laughter therapy, also called humor therapy, is the use of humor to promote overall health
and wellness. It aims to use the natural physiological process of laughter to help relieve
physical or emotional stresses or discomfort.
Research supporting laughter therapy
A growing body of research supports the theory that laughter may have therapeutic value.
For years, the use of humor has been used in medicine. Surgeons used humor to distract
patients from pain as early as the 13th century. Later, in the 20th century, came the scientific
study of the effect of humor on physical wellness. Many credit this to Norman Cousins. After
years of prolonged pain from a serious illness, Cousins claims to have cured himself with a
self-invented regimen of laughter and vitamins. In his 1979 book Anatomy of an Illness,
Cousins describes how watching comedic movies helped him recover.
Over the years, researchers have conducted studies to explore the impact of laughter on
health. After evaluating participants before and after a humorous event (i.e., a comedy video),
studies have revealed that episodes of laughter helped to reduce pain, decrease stress-related
hormones and boost the immune system in participants.

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