Have you ever been dwelling on the bad that happened the previous day, when suddenly hearing resounding laughter from the ones you love changed that? Yes, laughter is a proven mood booster, and in fact, research shows that once you share it with others, it promotes a positive impact on their emotional and physical wellbeing. There is definitely some goodness of laughter for health in older adults, and these are worth taking note of.
It Improves Quality of Life
Laughter may seem simple, but the truth is its complexity extends to the fact that it is capable of improving one’s quality of life. Whether you are sharing a moment with loved ones or you are laughing over a good conversation with friends, this can increase blood vessel function. This, in turn, relieves you of the tension that you are experiencing and gets rid of the stress that you are dwelling on. This can also improve your memory, and in the end, boosts overall happiness.
It Boosts the Immune System
Since it does, expect that your health will benefit a lot from it. You can share a conversation with residents over dinner in a retirement community or attend an event with the rest of the group and have a good laugh thereafter. When you have this moment, expect that your cholesterol and blood pressure levels are reduced. How is that possible? It is because laughter has its way of increasing blood oxygenation, while also aiding circulation. This creates a positive impact and diminishes heart failure and high cholesterol.
This can also be a great way to increase endorphin levels, which is proven to help with regulating body pain. It also increases the stress-reducing chemical, known as dopamine. What’s more, it helps people suffering from bronchitis and asthma because it can exercise the diaphragm and underlying abdominal muscles.
It Nurtures Relationships
Getting a good laugh is one of the best ways to maintain relationships and nurture them. Laughing with the ones you love will make you realize how worthy you are as an individual. It does not matter if you speak in different languages, as long as you laugh together, you will be able to get by. Laughter definitely has its own way of forming social bonds and enables people to become more attuned to each other and their surroundings.
How to Bring Laughter into Your Life
It is common for older adults to become sad in certain situations. There is nothing to worry about when it comes to this, though. The first thing you can do is have a smile on your face. This is the key to having social interactions. When others see you smile, the possibility of them smiling back at you will be more than you imagined it to be.
Inject a little humor during your conversations with others. This brings lightness to the mood. You can share stories with others by focusing more on the funny things that have happened lately. Never be afraid to ask about their daily experiences, most especially those that warm the heart, and put a smile on their faces (as well as laughter to their overall wellbeing).
