Maybe you’ve heard already that humor and laughter is the best medicine. But did you know that laughing can help you also with your weight management? This is especially true if you are an emotional eater and your eating habits are triggered by stress and overload (reward eater).
A good laughing fit is a fantastic way to deal with stress. It can help you to overcome the urge to overeat when you have negative thoughts or you are overdriven. In this advanced approach, I present to you nine strategies for finding more laughter in your life from everyday experiences.
Scientists have found that those who laugh for a minute end up feeling so refreshed, its equivalent to performing 45 minutes of yoga or relaxation training.
So let’s dig deeper into this priceless source of happiness and relaxation.
Why does laughter make us relaxed, and why do we feel so good after?
What happens when you laugh? First of all, your body experiences a stressful condition (Eustress), and, at the same time, you activate 80 muscles. Your heart rate and blood pressure increases. More oxygen is transported to your lungs as well.
Besides these relatively evident effects, there are some others. Laughter
- triggers the release of endorphins and promotes an overall sense of well-being
- reduces stress responses and stress hormones in your body
- is linked to the healthy function of blood vessels
- increases blood flow
- boosts your immune system
- relieves pain
- gives you new courage to face life
- suspends tensions
- promotes the healing process
- appeases fears
- invigorates and rejuvenates skin
And much more…
A Chuckle a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
Having the ability to laugh is also crucial for the development of our children. Kids grow up better and faster the more they smile and laugh.
9 Strategies that Give you More Reasons for Laughing
1. Try to smile in between
It might sound unbelievable, but just to smile can influence your mood in a positive way (even if you don’t feel it).
Try to smile just for one minute. In the beginning, it might feel like a grimace, but you will be surprised at how quickly you will start laughing naturally. The smile stimulates the nerves in your face which then signal the brain that there is something funny or positive happening.
2. Look consciously for something funny
Humor is as manifold as human beings are – for each of us, it is interpreted differently. Commit to something you can laugh about. As long as you don’t hurt someone else’s feelings, everything is allowed:
– Look for funny websites or books
– Read at least one joke per day: e.g. subscribe to a joke newsletter
3. Collect funny things
There are many fun things you can collect and store for hard times. Cut out cartoons from the newspaper, clipart, funny images or jokes and stick them in your personal laughter book. You can also note funny incidents, etc. That way, you always have something ready for laughter when you need to brighten up your mood.
Keeping a toy that can make you laugh in your car or on your desk is a great idea too.
4. Watch funny videos or movies
Take some time to watch a funny YouTube video, a TV movie, laugh gags or just a little GIF image and have a healthy chuckle. Have you ever watched a video of a laughing baby? I think there is no bad mood that a chuckling baby can’t cheer up. In need of a giggle?
Check out this adorably hilarious video (Youtube) of a baby laughing at a ripping paper. The video has thus far received more than 76 million views!
Another Youtube video I highly recommend to provoke a laughing fit is this Flash Mob in a Tube in Berlin, no need to speak German to understand it…
5. Funny quotes
Put up a funny story, poster or quotes about laughter as a reminder in your office or install a computer screensaver that makes you smile.
Or print out my quote cards here!
Because laughter is such an important habit I’ve even published a “Funny Quotes” book on Amazon.com. A team of twenty valued readers helped me to choose the funniest categories, quotes, and photos for the book. On launch week it hit bestseller status ranking number 1 in two Amazon categories.
Learn more about my “funny life quotes” project.
6. Learn to laugh about yourself
Put things into perspective. Laughing about yourself not only produces enough reasons for a chuckle, but it makes your life easier altogether.
To be able to laugh about yourself, you first have to step outside of yourself. Observe yourself from a third-person, caring perspective. With the external view, you realize quite quickly that many things that you are doing can be quite funny.
7. Follow Pinterest boards with jokes
There are many Pinterest boards full of funny jokes. Follow them and make sure to follow my inspirational quotes board on Pinterest too.
8. Surround yourself with playful, fun people
Spend time with people who laugh easily – both at life’s absurdities and at themselves. Surely you know somebody who routinely finds a sense of humor in everyday events. Their laughter and playful point of view are infectious.
9. Try fun activities
Make time for fun activities like karaoke, playing Uno cards, bowling, miniature golfing or laughter yoga. Read in this context also my blog post key to happiness where I’ve researched the 6 things happy people do every day.
Are you already reaping the benefits of laughter?
Are you already enjoying a happy life full of laughter and joy? Take it to the next level and help others to experience the same.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? WHAT STRATEGIES DO YOU USE?
Do you use any of the strategies I’ve listed above? Which ones do you prefer?
Did I miss any techniques that you think are important that you’d like to share with the community? Feel free to share them in the comment section below!