Find your happy place with laughter

Signs point to there being numerous benefits from laughter. It has been found that a person is thirty times more likely to laugh when with others. One study compared the saliva of two groups of people in their 60s and 70s. For twenty minutes, one group sat silently and the other watched funny videos. 

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The study found that the group that had watched the videos, performed substantially better on memory recall and had greater reduction in cortisol levels. Since the degree of benefit may vary depending on the person, type of activity, and whether laughter occurs alone or with others, more research is needed. Just in case, it may be good to find opportunities for humor each day!

Potential benefits:
* Improves cardiac health, immune system, and organ functioning
* Releases endorphins that can alleviate pain
* Increases overall well-being by reducing stress, muscle tension, and improving mood
* Lowers blood pressure and inflammation
* May give the abdominal muscles a workout
​(reported to be equivalent to 10 minutes of strenuous rowing)
* Social connection

From Stanford Graduate School:

Here's a video clip from Ellen DeGeneres: Laughter is good for your brain

References:
Heid, M. (2016). You asked: Does laughter have real health benefits? Time. Retrieved from http://time.com/3592134/laughing-health-benefits/
LaMeaux, E.C. (2014). 7 Health benefits of laughter. GAIAM life. Retrieved from https://www.gaiam.com/blogs/discover/7-health-benefits-of-laughter
Mayo clinic staff. (2016). Stress relief from laughter? It's no joke. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456?pg=1
Shah, Y. (2016). New study proves that laughter really is the best medicine. Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/22/laughter-and-memory_n_5192086.html
Smith, M. & Segal, J. (2016). Laughter is the best medicine. HelpGuide.org. Retrieved from http://www.helpguide.org/articles/emotional-health/laughter-is-the-best-medicine.htm