You don’t have to have a fat wallet to enjoy life, and that’s because the best things life has to offer come without a price tag. Discovery Village at Southlake retirement community in Texas is a great place to live while making the most of the golden years. Even if you are among the many seniors living on a fixed income, nothing can take some of life’s best from you. In addition to all that has been covered in this four-part series, you can enjoy laughter, good memories, and the company of your friends and family.

Laughter

Everyone loves to laugh, but laughter is packed with a lot more benefits than many people are aware of. According to physicians, psychologists, and many other qualified experts, a good dose of daily laughter is a great way to improve life, health, happiness, and more. Here are some amazing facts about laughter:

When we laugh, we undergo psychological changes. Our body and face muscles stretch; we breathe more rapidly, which sends more oxygen to our tissues; and our blood pressure and pulse rate go up. One researcher discovered that one minute of hearty laughter gives the heart a workout equivalent to spending ten grueling minutes on a rowing machine.
If you spend about 15 minutes laughing, you burn about 50 calories.
Medical research shows that laughter can increase the level of antibodies in the body that fight infection and boost immune cell levels. One result is that the immune system is strengthened and another result is that stress is reduced.
Specialized immune system cells called T cells are activated by laughter, and they help fend off illness.
For people with diabetes, there is very good news associated with laughter. Research shows that blood sugar levels are reduced as a direct result of laughter.
Laughter helps to tone your abdominal muscles. When laughing, your stomach muscles expand and contract, which is an action similar to doing exercises that target the abs. The differences are that laughter is a lot more enjoyable than regular exercise, and laughter also relaxes you.
A study involving patients with a painful spine condition found that laughter leads to improved relaxation and sleep. People with the condition called ankylosing spondylitis were able to sleep pain-free for two hours following ten minutes of laughter.
At least one researcher pursued the idea that laughter isn’t actually a good medicine but rather being near friends and family, where laughter happens more frequently, is really the source of benefit. That research showed that people are 30 times more likely to have a good laugh when with other people than when alone.
All researchers agree that laughter definitely improves the quality of life.
You don’t have to be in anyone’s company to watch movies that tickle your funny bone and give you a good belly laugh.
If you have chronic pain, you may want to rent some comedies because laughter triggers the release of endorphins in the body. Endorphins are the body’s natural pain killers, and they make you feel good from head to toe.

Benefits of Remembering Good Times

Have you ever thought about the fact that memories are what connect you to the life you live and the people you’ve known? No one knows the value of memory better than those who are affected by dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other diseases that rob us of memory. Researchers have discovered that people who suffer from severe depression have the common problem of being unable to remember happy times.

Just as it’s a great idea to have a good laugh every day, for health and happiness reasons, it’s also a good idea to remember the wonderful moments of life. In addition to looking at photographs, why not spend some time each day walking in your mind down memory lane? You could even be laid up in poor health while focusing your mind on happy memories that give you a smile on your face and joy in your heart.

Being with Friends and Family

Just being with people you care about is one of life’s best gifts. As with the other best things in life that are free, spending time with those you love has health benefits. One benefit is that you live longer by keeping your social ties strong. Another is that friends and family members are often highly influential regarding lifestyle choices and making us want to make decisions that are good for our health.

One approach to exploring the benefits of relationships is to study the benefits of being in love. According to researchers at the University of Iowa, being in satisfying relationships has tremendous benefit for women with ovarian cancer because they have more vigorous cell activity that naturally kills cancerous cells, as part of the body’s immune system.

We hope you will join us at Discovery Village at Southlake retirement communities in Texas, where we strive to create an environment in which residents can enjoy all the best in life. Contact Discovery Village at Southlake at 817.431.8668 today.