They say we began to laugh less. Instead of 15 minutes a day, as it was about 50 years ago, we laugh no more than five minutes. This is due to the stressful rhythm of life, according to Italian researchers from the Institute of Psychosomatic Medicine.
Scientists have long known that positively-minded people live longer. Laughter not only creates a good mood, but also in the most favorable way affects the physical health of a person. This is clearly evidenced by an experiment conducted at the Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore (USA). Healthy men were offered to watch two films - at first funny and then depressing. When watching a funny movie, people’s blood circulation increased by 22%, and when watching a heavy movie it decreased by 35%.
Laughter helps fight vasoconstriction, which is known to be hazardous to health. In particular, during laughter, the vessels expand, similar to what happens after aerobics. Researchers do not urge laughter to replace sports, but recommend laughing more often. Italian experts believe that the daily dose of laughter should be at least half an hour. Smiles and irony do not count.
Laughter promotes the production of such natural "drugs" in the body as dopamine, endorphin and enkephalin, which not only improve mood, but also dull the pain. But the beneficial effects of laughter are not limited to this. It is also training and muscle relaxation, strengthening the immune system, improving breathing, blood circulation and the functioning of the nervous system, increasing stamina, reducing the level of stress hormones. Psychologically, this is an increase in self-esteem, stimulation of creative thinking and memory, and improvement of relations with people.
So, laugh and laugh at your health!
