Smile and Laugh Your Way to Good Health

Jan 24,2023

Everybody looks better when they smile. It turns out that smiling and laughing are also good for your health. When you smile, your brain releases tiny molecules called neuropeptides to help fight off stress. Other neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and endorphins come into play too. Endorphins act as mild pain relievers, whereas serotonin is an antidepressant. According to Chris Norris, “smiling and laughing initially increases heart rate, then relaxes the muscle, and eventually decreases the heart rate and blood pressure.”¹ Smiling isn’t just a way to look good, but a way to improve your overall health also. Now that’s something to smile about.

Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.² When we laugh, we breathe deeper and take in more air, which stimulates our heart, lungs and muscles. Laughter protects the heart.

Laughter reduces stress and overall blood pressure. It’s a scientific fact that smiling and laughter make you feel better. That’s no joke!

Five Health Benefits of Smiling and Laughing³

1. Decreases stress – Laughter has many health benefits, including lowering stress hormones and reducing the physical tension throughout your whole body
2. Improves your mood – When you smile your body releases three different hormones: dopamine, endorphins and serotonin. This makes you happier 
3. It makes people around you feel better – Smiling and laughing create positive feelings and are contagious. As the song says,  “Smile and the whole world smiles with you”
4. Strengthens the immune system – That good feeling when you smile or laugh triggers a chemical reaction in your brain, which releases small proteins called neuropeptides. These tiny molecules maintain immune tolerance and may help fight potentially serious illnesses
5. Reduces pain – The endorphins released when you smile can temporarily reduce body aches or minor pains

LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE!

1. https://www.centerformentalhealth.in/how-smiling-helps-your-mental-health-check-out-the-benefits-of-smiling/ 
2. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-laughter-may-be-the-best-pain-medicine/# 
3. https://www.envolvehealth.com/news/five-health-benefits-of-smiling-and-laughing.html