A staff member from Ocean Park hold her ears during a Laughter Yoga class.
IN PHOTO: A staff member from Ocean Park hold her ears during a Laughter Yoga class in Hong Kong July 10, 2014. Consultancy firm Inspire 2 Aspire run Laughter Yoga classes for corporations which partner Mahesh Pamnani believes ease stress and increases productivity and creativity among staff. Laughter Yoga was first developed 1995 in Mumbai, India by Dr. Madan Kataria, and has over 600 clubs in 60 countries, according to Laughter Yoga International. Reuters

Laughter is music to the soul. We laugh for many reasons mostly when we see or hear something funny like a joke. You probably heard of that popular saying that claims laughter is the best medicine and in fact it’s one of the effective antidotes against stress and conflict. It’s highly contagious too. Below are reasons why you should laugh often.

  1. Laughter keeps you emotionally healthy

Our daily life experiences trigger all kinds of emotion within us. There’s joy, pain, excitement, despair and so many more that can either dampen or lighten up our mood. Well, laughter can balance everything out and keep us emotionally healthy. That’s because whenever you laugh you stop thinking about those negative emotions like anger and sadness. You focus only on what makes you feel happy.

  1. Laughter is your body’s natural charger

Do you often feel sleepy or tired? Instead of taking stimulants to keep you awake all you have to do is laugh. Laughing is like a built in charger that whenever you do it, your body starts to recharge. You become more alive and energized. It is the easiest way to combat stress and it’s free too.

  1. Laughter improves blood circulation

Based on a study conducted by the University of Maryland, subjects who watched comedies have better blood flow because the vessels expand and contract easily. Not only that, but laughter is considered a natural cardio workout which is just as good as an hour of walking at a moderate speed.

  1. Laughter released endorphins

Have you experienced being in pain and suddenly you noticed it disappearing after a few minutes of laughing? That’s because laughter helps release endorphins, the natural pain killers of our body. Chronic pain like backache, headache and joint and muscle pain can be easily relieved by a few hearty laughs.

  1. Laughter build stronger immune system

Give your immune system its much needed boost by laughing your heart out. Laugh and stress hormones in your body will start to decrease as immune cells start to rise. Anxiety and stress affecting the body will also be reduced thus the body’s immune system becomes stronger so you’re more protected against diseases.

Make laughing a habit. The health benefits alone are enough reasons why you should laugh often.

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