Of all the things people can do to make themselves feel better mentally as well as physically, laughing is near the top of the list. For years, doctors worldwide have raved about the numerous benefits people can experience from allowing themselves to laugh as much as possible each day. Whether it’s seeing something funny on television, watching a dog or cat at play, or getting the giggles after a friend or family member says or does something funny, these are just a few examples of why laughter is like medicine. If you’re ready to learn more so that you’ll have the green light to laugh as often as you like, here are some other benefits of laughing.
Relieves Anxiety and Depression
When you find yourself feeling anxious or depressed, try a good dose of laughter. When you do, you’ll be releasing stress-reducing hormones that will immediately begin to improve your gloomy outlook on life. Since laughing has been shown to help release neurotransmitters that are important to how our brain functions, you’ll find yourself feeling anger and tension slip away, being replaced instead with optimism.
A Great Physical Workout
Believe it or not, laughing can be considered a great physical workout for your body. While this doesn’t mean you should give up the treadmill and weights you’ve been using, you may be surprised to learn laughing has actually been shown to help strengthen the core muscles in our bodies. In addition, researchers have also discovered laughing regularly will help burn calories, lower blood pressure, help prevent heart disease, and even strengthen your immune system.
Don’t Avoid Laughing
Since laughter is like medicine, it’s best to laugh as much as you can. But despite its many benefits, large numbers of people actually avoid laughing. As to why, research from the American Dental Association found that almost 25% of adults avoid laughing because they are not happy with the condition of their teeth. In fact, many people state they are embarrassed or ashamed of how their smiles look due to having crooked teeth or other dental issues. Since laughing and smiling go together, some people often go to great lengths to keep from smiling and thus having their upper and lower teeth exposed for the world to see.
Better Quality of Life
Once you decide to start laughing more and more, you’ll find you start to experience a better quality of life. By being able to laugh at the world around you as well as yourself, you’ll start to feel not only more optimistic but also happier about all the little things in life you may have been taking for granted.
Now that you know how much laughter can change your life for the better, it’s time to make sure you have a smile you don’t mind sharing with the world. To make this happen, visit the comfortable and professional office here at Mountain View Dental. If you have questions or want to schedule an appointment, give us a call today at 385-324-3557.