Laughter And Happiness Improve Health - It's That Simple!
When Is The Last Time You Laughed Really Hard?
In recent years we’ve spent a great deal of time talking about happiness. We hunt it down, try to maintain it, and worry about losing it. However, did you know that laughter and happiness improve health?
If you recognise that behaviour, you’re going to like this article, because there is good news.
A review article [1] of a wide range of happiness research states “according to previous research, it can be said that biological and health factors are critical in underlying happiness and its role in happiness is undeniable.” Moreover, it states “”Neuroscience studies showed that some part of brain (e.g. amygdala, hippocampus and limbic system) and neurotransmitters (e.g. dopamine, serotonin, norepinefrine and endorphin) play a role in control of happiness.”
If Happiness Is Heavily Impacted By Biology, What Does That Mean For People?
Essentially, our life experience is dictated by the chemicals present in the brain. That is to say, all emotions, positive and negative are triggered by the chemical soup in the brain.
Knowing this, we can choose to encourage more happiness rather than sitting in the passenger’s seat. Realistically, it’s now possible to hack into those happy chemicals and feel good without any pharmaceutical intravention. Whooh-hooh!
Interestingly enough, the methods are quite simple. They can be found in some life’s daily routines, and are probably outside of conscious awareness. Furthermore, knowing how to generate these specific chemicals, hormones and neurotransmitters, can make happier lives more possible.
Even more exciting, the feeling of happiness leads to more feelings of happiness. In fact, as we increasingly pump those happy chemicals into the brain, the brain hunts them out to maintain a ‘normal state.’ So, if you want more joy, productivity, good vibes and peace of mind, let’s find out which chemicals lead to those positive emotions, and what other benefits they deliver.
Endorphins – The Runner’s Drug!
Endorphins are released when at the point of pain release. It’s a chemical that suppresses pain, allowing athletes to exercise or train for longer than they would be able to otherwise.
Guess what? You also release endorphins when you laugh, inhaling the smell of vanilla and lavender, and by eating chocolate and spicy foods. In fact, although a little shocking, a 2-minute cold shower is also known to release those lovely little brain chemicals.
The word endorphin literally means “self-produced morphine,” and converse to what you might think, the pain actually causes endorphins to be released. Endorphins are produced during strenuous physical exertion, sexual intercourse and orgasm.
Acupuncture And Endorphins
Actually, during the 1970s, researchers [2] isolated endogenous endorphins in the central nervous system. Clinical studies reported that inserting acupuncture needles into specific acupuncture points triggered the production of endorphins in cerebrospinal fluid after patients underwent acupuncture treatments.
So, whether it’s getting an acupuncture treatment or getting your giggle on, there are many ways for you to access this chemical boost! Laughter and happiness improve health – it’s a proven scientific fact!
When Was The Last Time You Really Laughed?
Serotonin - The Confidence Chemical
Fundamentally, the link between higher serotonin and a lack of rejection sensitivity allows people to put themselves in situations that will increase self-worth, self-esteem, and boost our sense of belonging – our connection to tribe.
Serotonin plays so many different roles in your body that it’s really tough to be specific. If you’re in a good mood, you’ve got serotonin to thank. If you’re in a bad mood, you’ve got serotonin to blame.
Moreover, serotonin gives us a high when we are respected by others, and the brain seeks more of that good feeling by repeating the behaviours that triggered the release before. The level of respect you received in your younger years created neural pathways that indicate to the brain how to become respect today.
Effectively, if respect was missing in your younger years, it’s time to retrain the brain to go in search of more of those feeling snow! To create that respect framework, NLP Coaching is a good place to begin.
Oxytocin - The Connection Chemical
Oxytocin is released through closeness with another person or animal and helps to create intimacy and trust and build healthy relationships. Skin-to-skin contact releases oxytocin, for example, a person gets a hit during orgasm and mothers do during childbirth and breastfeeding. The cultivation of oxytocin increases fidelity and is essential for creating and maintaining strong bonds and improved social interactions.
Moreover, the oxytocin hormone is directly linked to human bonding and increasing trust and loyalty. The release of oxytocin can also be triggered through social bonding, like eye contact and attentiveness. A simple way to get an oxytocin surge is to give someone a hug.
If there are no humans in cuddling distance, cuddle your pets, they deliver a healing love frequency through touch.
Dopamine - The Habit Former
Dopamine motivates you to take action and gives you the persistence required to meet your needs, seek reward, or approach a goal. In fact, the anticipation of the reward is actually what triggers a dopamine good feeling in your brain causing it to release the energy you need to move towards the reward. Then, you get another pleasure hit when you successfully achieve what you set out to do!
You can stimulate the good feeling of dopamine by embracing a new goal and breaking it down into achievable steps, rather than only allowing your brain to celebrate when you hit the finish line.
If you’d like some support in setting and achieve goals with small steps and big rewards, let’s have a chat about purpose coaching.
Using Food To Deliver Your Laughter And Happiness Hit
Here’s a list of foods which are also known to support those chemicals in roaming around your brain.
- Dark, leafy greens such as spinach and kale are rich in folate, providing 33% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA). This nutrient is linked to a decrease in negative moods and depression because it helps produce dopamine in the brain. One 2012 study found that middle-aged people who consumed the most folate had a lower risk of depression symptoms than those who ate the least.
- Not many people know that mushrooms contain vitamin D. The tasty vegetable is the only plant source of natural vitamin D, and foods that contain vitamin D boost serotonin in the brain, putting you in a better mood. It’s easy to increase your intake of vitamin D this way—throw some mushrooms into your breakfast omelettes or lunchtime salads.
- The active compound in turmeric, curcumin, has natural antidepressant qualities. Many people add turmeric to meals because of its vast whole-body health benefits, such as lessening the effects of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and other inflammatory conditions, as well as fighting Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes.
- Fatty fish like salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help stave off depression. Also present in avocados and nuts, thus vegans can also get omega-3 in their diet. Omega-3s help to maintain brain function in the areas that regulate mood and emotion—a study found that women who hate fish two times per week had a 25% lower risk of depression than women who ate it less often.
Triggering More Laughter & Happiness Will Improve Your Health
In conclusion, taking action to hunt down those happy chemicals to triggers more laughter and happiness to improve health.
The four chemicals to focus on are:
Dopamine – To get you in the habit of helpful habits!
Oxytocin – The connection hormone.
Serotonin – The confidence or status hormone.
Endorphins – The runner’s drug!
Now is the time to take action and hunt those happy chemicals! Get out there and do some exercise, get your giggle on, give people hugs, cuddle pets and choose nutrition wisely. It’s a worthy journey to longevity, health and happiness.
Laughter and happiness improve health – so there’s more than one good reason to get those chemicals flowing.
If you’d like support in reframing your perception of self, increasing self-esteem or setting and achieving your goals, please do get in touch.
References
[1] Happiness & Health: The Biological Factors- Systematic Review Article – https://www.researchgate.net/publication/278044448_Happiness_Health_The_Biological_Factors-_Systematic_Review_Article
[2] Johnson C. Acupuncture works on endorphins. ABC Science Online. http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/1999/06/04/27924.htm. Accessed January 2, 2013.
