9 reasons you should laugh more if you want to increase your lifespan

(Baonghean.vn) - Hundreds of years ago, people affirmed that "Laughter is the best medicine for human happiness". Later breakthrough scientific studies have clarified the physiological benefits of humor for health.

So, smile a lot because smiling is not only to be charming, laughter not only pleases the other person but is also a tonic to help maintain and protect your health.

1. Build the immune system

Laughter reduces levels of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine, dopamine, adrenaline, and growth hormone. It also increases endorphins, and neurotransmitters. Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of other cells. All of this makes for a stronger immune system, as well as less physical effects of stress.

Illustration photo.

2. Gain muscle, lose fat

A big, hearty laugh will activate 80 other muscle groups in the body. That's why there is a comparison: laughing for 1 minute is equivalent to exercising for 45 minutes. In addition, laughing also consumes up to 20% of calories, so if you laugh happily for 10-15 minutes every day, you can consume 50 calories, and lose 2 kg a year. More importantly, smiling can "awaken" some muscles that are usually very inactive.

3. Helps relieve pain

Feeling pain can be uncomfortable and scary, but there is one very simple thing you can do right now: smile. Science has proven that laughing will have an immediate pain-relieving effect because laughing increases the secretion of positive hormones such as endorphins (natural painkillers) and serotonin (mood-regulating hormones). Pain and fear will be significantly reduced.

Illustration photo.

4. Reduce Stress

Work or study always makes your nerves tense, the feeling of overload always weighs on you, but smiling will help you regain balance because when you laugh, the concentration of adrenaline - the stress hormone - can go down to a low level. In addition, it also promotes resistance because laughing reduces negative hormones and increases positive hormones.

5. Promote lung function

Normally when you breathe, you breathe very shallowly so it is difficult to provide enough air for the lungs. However, if you laugh, it will help the body absorb three times more air than normal, because the breath becomes very deep. Especially when you laugh loudly, at this time the nose and mouth open wide, the lungs expand, the capacity of the lungs increases, making the respiratory system more comfortable than ever, which in turn promotes lung function.

6. Helps sleep well and digest well

Illustration photo.

Laughter can be considered an internal sport, the heart beats as fast as when we run 100 meters, the lungs release a large amount of air. Blood moves quickly, quickly eliminating long-accumulated toxins. Digestion works thanks to abdominal contractions. Nervous tension is reduced, the body is relaxed thanks to endorphins, a natural morphine secreted by the brain when we laugh heartily. Then the heart rate slows down, blood vessels dilate and blood pressure drops. In short, laughter reduces high blood pressure, improves digestion and gives us a good night's sleep.

7. Good for the cardiovascular system

A recent study by scientists in the US shows that reading one or two jokes will help blood vessels function better. Medical experts have repeatedly warned that stress has a negative impact on the cardiovascular system.

When faced with a difficult situation, your body releases adrenaline and noradrenaline, chemicals that increase blood pressure, and when stressed, blood vessels dilate 35% slower...

Illustration photo.

If left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to stroke or heart attack over time. Therefore, doctors often advise patients with high blood pressure to find ways to relax as much as possible. In addition, they need to combine regular physical exercise after a day of work.

8. Good for diabetics

In some studies, it has been found that laughter has a positive effect on blood sugar levels. Although the mechanism behind this phenomenon is not clear, when conducting an experiment on a group of patients with type 2 diabetes, researchers found that their blood sugar levels were more stable when watching a comedy show than when listening to a boring lecture.

Another study looked at the effects of laughter therapy on the renin-angiotensin system in patients with type 2 diabetes. The results showed that renin levels were significantly reduced when this therapy was applied. This means that laughter can help diabetic patients avoid complications related to microvascular disease.

9. Increase longevity

Illustration photo.

According to recent research published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, optimistic older adults who believe good things will happen are less likely to die than pessimists.

In fact, among the 65-85 study participants, the optimists, who made up 55%, were less likely to die of any cause than the pessimists. What's more, after the researchers adjusted the results for age, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and other measures of health, the optimists, who made up 71%, were less likely to die than the pessimists.

Pear Flower

(Synthetic)