The Power of Laughter: World Laughter Day and Its Impact on Well-being

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and go to humour”

– Charles Dickens

It feels so good to laugh, but did you know laughter is also a simple but amazing tool that can improve your wellness and life?

World Laughter Day is celebrated every year on the first Sunday of May. This year we will celebrate it on 5^th of May. The first ever World Laughter Day was celebrated on January 11, 1998, in Mumbai, India. It was organised by Madan Kataria, the person who founded laughter yoga. More than 12,000 people participated in the event from inside and outside India.

Benefits of laughter

Laughter has many physical, mental, and social benefits. It has both short-term and long-term impact.

When we see the short-term benefits of good laughter, we definitely see stress relief, as laughter helps to release endorphins in your brain. It helps you relax as it increases your heartbeat and respiratory rate, which lets you consume more oxygen in a shorter period of time. The relaxation effect caused by laughter can last up to 45 minutes.

The long-term effects of laughter are that it helps improve the immune system. Laughter is known to boost the T-cells, which are the specialised cells in the immune system that help fight off sickness. It is also known to improve cardiac health as it is an exceptional workout method due to which the blood vessels in the heart increase the blood flow, thus minimising the risk of heart attack and other heart-related problems. A daily dose of laughter is like working out. This helps to work on your abs by expanding the muscles in your tummy, which is very similar to when you do focus exercises to improve your abs muscles. With all these burning calories, a good laugh of 10 to 15 minutes in a day can nearly burn 40 calories.

The mental health benefits of laughter are:

Laughter helps in the release of a feel-good hormone that helps to ease anxiety and relieve stress.

It is known to uplift moods by adding joy.

It helps to build resilience, as when you laugh, you are incapable of feeling other emotions like fear, anger, etc.

The physical health benefits of laughter are:

Laughter boosts the number of T-cells that help boost immunity.

It is a good workout that helps you burn calories, works your muscles, and prevents heart disease.

Good laughter helps to decrease pain.

The social benefits of laughter are:

Laughter helps to diffuse conflict.

It makes a person more approachable. Thus, making the person more attractive.

Couples who are known to laugh together have a stronger relationship.

It is known to be a good method for group bonding.

Below are some facts related to laughter.

1. Not only humans, but there are 65 other species that are known to laugh, like monkeys, gorillas, rats, jackals, etc.
2. Humans are known to laugh before they start to speak.
3. Laughter is known to burn calories; 10 minutes of laughter can approximately burn 40 calories.
4. Just like yawns, laughter is also contagious.
5. Rajendra Kumar, Shivam. India holds the world record for laughing for the longest time at three hours, 47 minutes, and 54 seconds. He created this record on February 8, 2022.

Below is a list of things that you can do for a good laugh.

1. You could read a book of jokes and share them with your friends, as laughter is contagious.
2. You could watch some comedy sitcoms or movies.
3. You can spend time with a funny person and lighten up your day.
4. You can play with your pet.
5. You can watch some stand-up comedy or visit some comedy clubs.
6. You can do fun activities like karaoke, tell funny stories, go bowling, etc.

How can you celebrate World Laughter Day?

You can either celebrate it with someone or with your friends, or you can celebrate it by yourself.

You can definitely plan some fun activities together. You can sit with your friends and family, share jokes, and have a laugh. You can do laughter yoga together, watch some funny shows, or play some fun games.

It is also very important to laugh on your own. On this day, you can do things that will make you laugh. Teach yourself how to laugh at your vulnerable moments, which will help you control your emotions. You can be silly and goofy with yourself without any judgement.

Conclusion

It is rightly said that laughter is the best medicine. Not only physically, but there are many other benefits as well. It helps you to defuse the situation and gives you a fresh perspective. It helps you relax and keeps you positive. Furthermore, makes you seem more interactive and approachable to others and helps you win over people. So, on World Laughter Day, let us harness the power of laughter to improve our well-being.