When was the last time you had a good laugh? If it’s been days, weeks, or even months, keep on reading. We’ve all heard the saying that laughter is the best medicine. Laughter is also one of the best ways to quickly reduce stress.
This probably doesn’t come as a big surprise to you. Think back on the last time you laughed with a good friend, your partner, or your child. You probably felt so much better afterwards, especially if you really cracked up. The idea then is to laugh out loud more often, and to do so intentionally whenever you’re feeling under a lot of pressure and stress.
How to Laugh More
Spend some time with a child. Little kids are often hilarious and when you give them free reigns with the conversation they’ll almost come up with something funny. Try asking them to tell you a joke. Their giggles while they try to get it out will make you laugh. Laugh with them and use your secret stress buster as an opportunity to bond and spend quality time together.
Watch some funny TV or read a funny book. After a long and stressful day , there’s nothing better than a movie or book that makes you laugh out loud. While it’s harder with books, it’s fairly easy to find movies that make you laugh. And if you watch with a friend, laughing together is even better than laughing by yourself.
Make a list of books and movies that make you laugh and keep it on hand for stress emergencies. Of course they are also funny, entertaining, and a great way to relax at other times.
Find Some YouTube Comedy Clips. This is my personal go to stress buster since I rarely have the time or attention span for a movie. I have a few personal favorites that I revisit over and over. It’s truly the best therapy for me when life gets a little crazy.
Here’s a few of my current favorites:
Juggling the Jenkins – recovered addict (people like us are typically the best comedians) and totally down to earth.
Vic Dibitetto (Watching him is like going home for me…but this is real NY humor with a lot of language – so pass if that bothers you.)
Boston Country Mom – She’s pretty new, I guess but I totally get the Yankee fish-out-of-water thing. I always get a good laugh!
Listen To The Comedy Channel On Pandora. If you have a long commute home, or a lot of chores to do around the house, try listening to Pandora or one of the other music streaming services and choose a stand-up comedy channel. You’ll be laughing in no time. Of course you could also create a personalized playlist with sets from your favorite comedians.
Get Together With a Friend. Throughout my life, I’ve chosen my friends according to how sarcastic they are. Seriously. There’s nothing like snarky, black humor to get me through rough patches. Even a quick text can work some days.
Read Some Amazon Reviews. Some of these are comedy genius! Here’s a couple of great sites with in-depth reviews.
The Top 10 Funniest Reviews on Amazon
22 Hilarious Reviews of the Most Ridiculous Amazon Products
Health Benefits of Laughter
There’s good reason that laughter is the best medicine. Laughter relaxes your entire body, can help to boost the immune system and will trigger the release of endorphins, your body’s natural feel-good chemical. Not only that, but it can protect your heart, burn calories and could even help you to live longer.
What’s your favorite way to laugh?
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