Laugh your way to good health

Discipline and consistency are very important when it comes to good health and building healthy habits. However, I also want to emphasize the effect of fun, laughter and joy on health. Since stress wreaks such havoc on our immune systems and overall health, laughing is one way to relieve stress! Laughter can actually help stimulate your organs and relax your muscles to help soothe tension in the body. Less stress on the mind and body = stronger immune system. Fun and laughter are also great ways to connect with other people. The Surgeon General recently stated that loneliness is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. While it’s great to learn how to enjoy being alone with yourself and your thoughts, it’s even more important to have a strong sense of community. The right people around you can improve your mood and decrease feelings of anxiety and depression. Feelings of joy can bring you to the present moment rather than worrying about the future. A playful approach to life can promote healthy aging. If you can take a stressful situation or a negative experience and find the good, your body will benefit as well as your mind. The stress of holding onto a grudge or staying in a negative headspace can take years off of your life. There actually have been studies done looking at how our bodies digest and process food based on our mood. As you can probably guess, your body will better absorb nutrients and digest food properly if you are in a good mood while you eat - even more so if you’re sharing a meal with people you love and truly enjoy their company. Take time to journal about what brings you joy or makes you laugh and try to incorporate these things into your day to day life. Spend more time with people who make you laugh and less time with people who stress you out. If you don’t have kids, get to know people who do because kids are hilarious. They know how to laugh and have fun and not take life too seriously. We can learn a lot from them! Watch a funny video or movie. Have a dance party with your friends or kids. Keep a funny photo or greeting card somewhere you can see it daily. Cook a healthy meal with friends or your kids. Turn on your favorite music. Watch a stand up comedian you like or get creative and write your own comedy bit! Call a friend and talk about some of your favorite memories together. Host a game night. It’s a bonus if your idea of fun includes physical activity :). Find a hobby you can work into your schedule regularly. Everyone will have a different idea of fun, you only need to find what works for you. -CS

Read more about stress and health here! If you’re ready to take the next steps in your health journey, let’s chat. Book a call here!