April Fools: How Humor, Laughter and Fun Affect Your Health
Some of the earliest historical references to April Fools’ Day stretch back as early as the 1300s. Today, it’s a time of practical pranks and everyday laughter. And it’s also a great opportunity to explore the positive effects that laughter, fun and levity bring to our wellness journey. New research reveals that laughter and fun have serious benefits for your physical health, mental health, and immune system.
Unfoolish Benefits: 4 Ways That Fun, Laughter and Joy Can Boost Your Wellness
1. Laughter Reduces Cortisol
When you’re stressed, your body releases high amounts of the stress hormone cortisol. And because so many Americans are chronically stressed these days, those excessive levels of cortisol are leading to prominent, widespread health problems and increased disease risks.
If left unmanaged, chronically high cortisol can lead to:
- An increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke
- High blood pressure
- Physical symptoms like nausea, headaches and digestive issues
- Sleep disorders and insomnia
- An increased risk of diabetes
- An increased risk of weight gain, especially abdominal fat
A funny April Fool’s joke, or any humorous situation, can help. A study published in Nature found that when people watched funny videos that made them laugh, their cortisol levels dropped by nearly 70 percent.
2. Humor Strengthens Your Immune System
That same study in Nature also measured the impacts of laughter, joy and humor on your immune system. It turns out that people who are able to experience the fun and levity of life may have a stronger and more resilient immune system.
“Lee Berk at Loma Linda University in California and his colleagues…found that merely anticipating laughter boosted the production of mood-elevating hormones called β-endorphins and the immunity-enhancing human growth hormone by 27% and 87%, respectively,” reports the publication. Berk went on to tell Nature that, “It’s no joke, we need to start prescribing humour as medication.”
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3. Joy, Laughter and Fun Can Strengthen Your Social Connections
Enjoying a healthy, close social connection with those around you — this includes not only romantic relationships but also friendships and a greater sense of belonging to a community — leads to significant health benefits, such as a stronger immune system and a reduced risk of various chronic illnesses.
Multiple studies have found that laughter and moments of fun correlate with greater relationship satisfaction and a healthier sense of social connectedness.
4. Embracing Joy Helps You to Balance Your Perspective
Life is inevitably full of challenges, and we’re constantly bombarded with negative news and stressful information. It can be easy to develop tunnel vision and adopt a negative mindset.
Unfortunately, this proves toxic for your immune system, brain health (stress and other negative emotions are linked with negative changes in your brain structure and neurological health) and physical health.
Laughter, joy and fun can help you to reframe your life and see the world in a more positive light. In the short term, a hilarious joke, a humorous TV show, or a fun excursion can be a way to escape the seriousness and challenges of this present moment. In the long term, making a habit of embracing joy can help you to embrace a more balanced, hopeful mindset.
How to Have More Fun
Fun and humor are as personal as your own fingerprint, but there are a few ways to jumpstart your joy journey and incorporate more levity in your life. And you don’t have to restrain yourself to April Fools’ Day itself.
Try these ideas:
- Try something brand-new for a fun outing
- Stretch yourself and play with a new sport or skill (it’s a great way to practice laughing at your own clumsiness or your own attempts to succeed)
- Attend a comedy show or stream a funny TV show or movie
- Play with kids or dogs (surrounding yourself with people or animals who are naturally inclined to spur-of-the-moment happiness is very joy-inspiring!)
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