Laughter is addictive. We seek out friends and loved ones and try to create special times with them in order to cultivate laughter.
A day spent splashing in a pool or pond can create a lot of laughter.
But what is laughter, and why is it so closely related to health and happiness?
The science of laughter
Laughter is understood to be a universal human communication. Although we can fake laugh, the results are often transparently insincere and fake.
True spontaneous laughter often can’t be faked. And, interestingly, it is also contagious.
Laughter impacts every part of our body, even our breathing. “Rhythmic, vocalized, involuntary, expiratory reactions” is one medical description of a laugh. More than a dozen facial muscles get involved, and your epiglottis half-closes your larynx.
This is what causes the gasping sound.
In deep laughter, the tear glands are activated and tears stream down the face. This face has turned purple from the irregular intake of air and the exertion of laughter.
Depending on the individual’s upbringing and characteristics, these sounds can range from a tiny, barely audible whimper, to a full-throated, room-shaking guffaw.
And there is a large range of what can cause laughter, but scientists agree that it is rooted in relationships and experiences. We laugh louder and more often with those we know well.
Is laughter the best medicine?
These descriptions above sound almost dangerous – reduced or interrupted air intake? Cheeks turning purple? Uncontrolled shaking?
And yet laughter is often referred to as “the best medicine.” What gives? Does laughter help or hurt a person.
The science all agrees on this. Laughter helps your health.
Laughter, separate from the cause of the laughter, brings with it a range of physical benefits. Even the world-renowned Mayo clinic has documented the good effects of laughter:
- Reduced blood pressure
- Stress relief
- Stimulates blood flow and organ function
- Pain relief
Laughter improves a person’s life in a lot of other, less tangible ways. In a tense moment, laughter can help an individual or a group of people recollect their thoughts and look at a problem a new way. In a longer period of depression or just feeling down, laughing with friends can improve a person’s mood for hours or even days.
A good life is associated with lots of chances to laugh with friends and loved ones.
So why not schedule a trip with them? Create the chance to laugh together at a water park near you