Health and Wellness: A Chuckle a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

I have no doubt that laughter has kept me -- if not alive -- then at the very least a whole lot healthier. For years I was a moody, angry, young man. I can tell you that those kinds of personality traits are not conduit to health and wellness. Your body just can't maintain itself either mentally or physically if you draw from a well that is full of negative energy.

It took me a long time to learn that bitterness and anger and all the baggage that goes with it just doesn't get anyone anywhere and that the old axiom, "a chuckle a day keeps the doctor away" may has more truth to it than I ever imagined! In fact, I wager to say that when it comes to your health and wellness, laughter just may rank right up near the top of the list along with aerobic exercise and eating the right foods.

Granted, a hearty laugh may not help build muscle in the body-building sense, but according to Helpguide.org, laughter in general helps relieve stress. What's more, laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural feel-good chemicals. The same ones that promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain. In fact, recounts an article in WebMD, a person's body undergoes significant physiological changes thanks to a good laugh: we stretch muscles throughout our face and body, our pulse and blood pressure increases and we breathe faster, circulating more oxygen throughout our body.

But the benefits of laughter don't just stop there. A chuckle a day may keep the doctor away, but the larger impact can affect us socially as well. At Stanford University, psychologist Kelly McGonigal teaches a class in what is now known as "guided laughter" (and also "laughter yoga"). This group therapy laughter technique, according to an article in Arthritistoday.org allows students prep their bodies for the physical benefits of laughter, namely personal satisfaction and social interaction.

In layman's terms, not everyone can just start laughing at will and immediately feel good. Some coaxing may be needed. "Fake it until you make it" is a motto heard more often than not. But the words ring true. Guided laughing gets people giggling. And that peripheral benefit of a hearty laugh has shown itself to be powerful medicine indeed. Acting a natural pain reliever for ailments as debilitating as arthritis and the side effects of chemotherapy.

You may not always feel like smiling and certainly not every situation may warrant a laugh. But looking at the lighter side of life, not taking yourself too seriously and engaging in some time to laugh each day may turn out to be the best medicine you ever had!