Image source: flickr.com
A good laugh can make your troubles seem a little lighter, and though laughing won’t cure you of a cold, it will make you healthier. Studies have shown that laughing can help alleviate stress, buffer against and relive physical pain, soothe tension, improve immunity and blood flow, and (unsurprisingly) can lift a mood better than music or exercise.
While what makes us laugh is pretty subjective, here are a few activities that might raise a chuckle:
- Find a group. Laughing is contagious – which is why even unfunny shows with laugh tracks are so popular. So meet up with some friends, go to a comedy show, or even turn on the TV. You’ll feed off the energy of those around you.
- Rewatch old favorites. For me there are a few classic movies, books and TV shows that never fail to stir a good laugh no matter how many times I’ve watched it. A bit of classic British humor never fails to amuse.
- Laugh at yourself. Accepting that some of your mistakes and characteristic are laughable is good for your ego. Also laughing instead of being embarrassed will help brush something off a lot faster.
- Fake it! Just start laughing. Eventually it will morph into the real thing.
