Buzz
Laughter is truly the most precious medicine. It provides a powerful workout that tones the abs and keeps the heart healthy, while also boosting the immune system when practiced regularly. However, the demands and pressures of daily life often make laughter a rare occurrence. If you wish to live a happy, healthy, and vibrant life, you need to learn how to laugh joyfully. Keep reading below to discover how to make laughter an integral part of your life.
Steps
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Smile more. Studies have shown that people often smile more when they hold a straw between their teeth rather than with their lips. This happens because the body naturally responds to the feeling of smiling and anticipates laughter. When you're ready to smile brightly, your body will be tricked into believing the laughter will follow.
- Many people naturally have a serious expression even when at ease. Practice smiling while you work, jog, or even when you're engrossed in a book. Make sure to wear a genuine smile on your face every day.
- When walking to work or waiting for the bus, try smiling at strangers you pass by. This is a great way to practice and get ready for a big laugh, while also being polite.
Stay close to people who make you laugh. Always be ready for a fun evening with friends, and share your work-related frustrations with your high school roommate. If you're feeling down and struggling to smile, it’s even worse to be around people who are constantly gloomy. Instead of interacting with those who make you frustrated, hang out with those who always know how to crack a joke and make you laugh.
- Take charge of group conversations that lean towards negativity. If you're in a group of people who complain a lot, shift the topic. If everyone talks about what they dislike, talk about what you enjoy. People tend to mimic each other, so one person can reduce the overall mood of the group. Bring back the cheerful atmosphere with some silly questions or tell a funny story.
- You don’t have to avoid those lacking a sense of humor, but try to find new friends who make you laugh and laugh wholeheartedly. Being around them will make you more likely to smile brightly yourself.
- You can consider sending funny jokes or humorous clips to your friends. This could make them laugh, and they might send back funny things for you to enjoy.
Watch comedy films and entertaining TV shows. Even if you prefer dramas or thrillers, take a break from that habit and watch programs featuring the legendary comedian Hoài Linh. Find what makes you laugh the most and make time to laugh instead of getting lost in a compelling story or feeling sad over a documentary.
- If modern comedies don’t get you to smile, watch classic comedians. Check out Hoài Linh and Chí Tài performing together or enjoy one of Mel Brooks' brilliant parodies. For international comedies, shows like “The Golden Girls” and “Seinfeld” are always worth watching. Consider older classics like “All In the Family,” “I Love Lucy,” “The Honeymooners,” the Marx Brothers, Abbott & Costello, and Buster Keaton to understand the roots of comedy.
- No matter your age, Tom & Jerry is still highly entertaining. Grab a sugary cereal and relive your childhood every weekend morning.
Turn off the news. It will be difficult to smile if you start your day by listening to a slew of news about brutality and economic inequality on the radio. Instead, download some comedic sketches or listen to fun radio shows, and read the news in the afternoon to stay updated.
- If you still want to keep up with the news from a humorous perspective, check out funny talk shows like Stephen Colbert or John Oliver to help you (almost) stay informed, but in a much more enjoyable way.
- If you're a news junkie, begin with humorous articles or everyday stories before diving into the sad stuff. Switch back and forth to keep your mood light. Avoid reading too much negative news.
Practice relaxation.
Laugh at yourself. Learning to laugh at yourself is one of the greatest distinctions between happy people and those who are always troubled. If you can turn tough moments, mistakes, and flaws into an opportunity to laugh heartily at your own foolishness, those sad moments will have less impact on you.
- Laughing at yourself helps differentiate 'who you are' from 'what you do.' Everyone makes mistakes at times, but those mistakes do not define who you are. Laughing at yourself shows both you and those around you that it's not a big deal.
Don't worry about the sound of your laughter. Everyone has their own laugh, so as long as it's polite and appropriate, you don’t need to stress if your laugh sounds 'terrible.' That won’t happen.
- If you feel tense about laughing and constantly worry about what others might think, it's hard to truly relax and enjoy yourself. If you’re surrounded by people who mock others' laughter, it might be time to find new friends.
- People usually don't pay attention to an unusual laugh. They're too busy responding to the funny topics at hand.
Take it slow. You might be a busy person, but learn to make time for yourself and enjoy moments of solitude. You will feel much lighter, calmer, and ready to laugh more freely. Hard work is great, but moderation is key, so learn to balance your goals and competitive nature to stay ready to laugh at yourself and enjoy life.
- Make sure to do something you enjoy each day. Relax by playing a recording and smiling while sipping your favorite drink. Take control of your mood.
- Try adding 15 minutes to your daily schedule for activities like watching a comedy clip or browsing funny photos online. If possible, try to schedule this after the most stressful part of your day.
Practice a big smile.
Try to force out a laugh. When you're home alone or driving to work, try to laugh as naturally as you can a few times. Often, your body needs to warm up to feel inspired to laugh freely. Even if you can't find anything truly funny to laugh at, simply laughing at yourself can trigger a joyful burst of laughter.
- Start with three short "ha ha ha" sounds and continue with a series of laughs to get warmed up. You’ll be surprised how forced laughter can quickly turn into genuine laughter.
- Think about things that made you laugh in the past and smile widely. Recall those moments during your laughter session to help trigger the joy.
Pay attention to the physical benefits of laughter. Laughing regularly can boost your immune system, increase oxygen levels in your blood, tone your abdominal muscles, and release chemicals in your brain that improve your mood. When laughing, place your hand on your diaphragm and feel the laughter. Later, as you practice laughing, ensure you feel it throughout your body.
- Consider laughter as an exercise that helps maintain healthy muscles. Many health experts even recommend patients with heart disease or cancer laugh as part of a comprehensive treatment plan, alongside therapies like chemotherapy. Laugh out loud and let yourself go. You'll feel better afterward.
Klare Heston, LCSW
Medical Social Worker
Medical Social Worker
Try to laugh when you're sick to boost your immune system. Klare Heston, a licensed clinical social worker, explains, "Medical research shows that laughing regularly can improve your immune system. Try watching comedies when you're sick to laugh at yourself. If you have a weak immune system, this won’t stop you from developing the ability and habit of laughing more."
Make time for laughter. If you've decided to laugh more, make it a habit to smile at least once a day. Practice smiling on your way to work or after you get home and want to relax a bit.
- At work, schedule regular laugh breaks whenever you take a pause. Instead of smoking, take fifteen minutes to watch a funny YouTube video and laugh heartily to keep your energy up and help you unwind.
Try laughter yoga. If you find it difficult to trigger laughter when you're by yourself, many cities have "laughter yoga" groups that teach you how to laugh. Like regular yoga, laughter yoga is guided by trained instructors who can help you laugh like it's a daily workout. Although it might seem silly to laugh in front of strangers, many people have acknowledged the health benefits and mood-enhancing effects of laughter yoga.
Advice
- Have a unique sense of humor. Make your own jokes based on what truly amuses you.
- While the most genuine laughter often comes from real people, it can also be helpful to go online and find quotes, jokes, funny pictures, and humorous stories.
- Many people dislike laughing loudly due to how they look when they laugh, not because of the sound of their laugh itself. In this case, don’t forget that you can cover your mouth while laughing.
- Make sure your laugh is socially acceptable by observing the reactions of those around you. (If it's accepted, great. If not, adjust accordingly.)
- Making funny faces in front of the mirror will help you smile and laugh genuinely.
- Tell a joke.
- Think of some funny or amusing memories. This can help trigger laughter more easily.
- Visualize crazy or humorous events. For instance, picture a mouse chasing a bull.
- A healthy diet can boost your energy and promote a positive mood!
Warning
- Laughing joyfully is great, but it’s not always appropriate. Be prepared for a serious conversation in certain situations.
