Laughter therapy is probably the best thing that ever happened to me.

You cannot laugh and be depressed at the same time. TRY IT! Where you are sitting right now - start laughing, be it a small giggle which develops into hearty laughter or laughter pushed from your tummy all the way up - do it for about 1 minute. How do you feel?

The real beauty of laughter therapy is the FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT aspect. You don't have to be really laughing you can start by pretending to laugh. Your brain doesn't know the difference and the affects are the same. The more you do it – the quicker the laughter becomes genuine. When I'm laughing I become a more compassionate person and in turn more humble. I generally become the person I really want to be.

I have a knee problem which can be quite debilitating at times and the last thing I feel like doing is laugh. However, there are a couple of laughter exercises I do which really help me get some pain relief. Norman Cousins published a book in 1979 called "Anatomy of an illness". He described a potentially fatal disease he contracted in 1964 and his discovery of the benefits of humour and other positive emotions, in battling it. He found, for example, that ten minutes of mirthful laughter gave him two hours of pain-free sleep.

There are so many benefits. Laughter quickly reduces levels of toxic stress chemicals, releases a natural pain killer, provides an excellent cardio and aerobic workout, increases energy levels, oxygenates our blood and major organs, boosts our immune system and levels of cancer fighting cells, reduces blood pressure, improves our digestive and sexual performance, protects us from cancer, colds, viral and bacterial infection, speeds healing and has a positive effect on heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and asthma.

It boosts our emotional intelligence, allows us to operate at peak performance and quickly reduces harmful negative emotions including fear, anger, distrust that lead to anxiety and depression. It increases positive emotions that make life a wonderful experience for us and those we come in contact with.

I can go on and on and on because it is such an exciting extensive subject but to actually see what I am talking about look up "laughter therapy" on YouTube. Participate with the videos that come up. Then look for a laughter therapy coach in your area. You will never look back.

Pam

A Moodscope member.