Laughter

Laughter as we all know makes us feel physically and emotionally rejuvenated. There are many benefits of laughter as shown by research studies. To laugh heartily is to ensure great cardiovascular health, reduced anxiety and stress. For those who are depressed, there is nothing like a good laugh to bring them out of their depressive state and remedy your appetite and depression as well. There are ways in which you can use laughter for depression treatment. Here are a few reasons why you should laugh whenever you can.

Physical Benefits Of Laughing

Laughing helps deal with viruses by activating cells that attack them. This directly translates to the fact that laughter enhances our immune system functioning. Studies prove the effects of laughter on our blood pressure from something like light box therapy as well. Laughing prevents release of cortisol and other stress hormones thereby inducing relaxation and subsequently lowering blood pressure. When you laugh, you strongly feel a sense of well-being which is due to the triggering and release of natural pain killers or endorphins. Laughter according to some experts gives us the ability to look at things in a new perspective and thereby increases our creative abilities.

Emotional Benefits Of Laughing

Benefits of laughter as a part of depression treatment cannot be underestimated. Laughing heartily can greatly reduce anxiety and stress and allows you to relax naturally. You also benefit from reduced blood pressure and heart rate. Laughter for depression can be used as a part of the therapeutic process. Through social connection, laughing helps improve the mood of the patient. Spending a lot of time with friends laughing away our worries is an excellent way of mitigating risk for depression. To greatly benefit from the effects of laughter, it is important to be in a positive frame of mind and to seek situations where there is a lot of fun and humor.

Therapeutic Uses Of Laughter

Why do people enjoy those funny and humorous comedy shows on television? The only reason is laughing helps lift your mood and keeps you in a happy frame of mind. Especially for people who are predisposed to depression, benefits of laughter can be immense.

Therapeutic treatment for depression could include group sessions where you laugh with others. Recently, a lot of programs such as yoga combined with laughing are being propagated as a treatment option for depression.  Laughter for depression treatment is gaining ground and many are taking advantage of exercises combined with yoga techniques and forced laughing. Laughing is infectious and the beneficial effects of laughter on depression are increasingly being recognized by experts today.

Laugh Away Your Blues

If you or your loved one is depressed, it is time to look for support groups close to where you live. You can ask your doctor or your therapist for recommendations. Join a group that gets together periodically to spend a lot of enjoyable time together laughing away their blues. You will certainly be encouraged by the positive improvement in your condition sooner than you think. There are many groups helping heal depression and stress. All you have to do is to find one and reach out for help.