What is laughter therapy and how does it actually work?
Friends, before the weekend we have prepared a very interesting post for you, which will at least cheer you up, and most likely will also be useful!😉
For example, did you know that children laugh about 400 times a day, and adults only 15 times a day?
Laughter therapy (also gelototherapy, from the Greek γέλως (“gelos”) – “laughter”) is a psychotherapeutic practice that is designed to help the patient better understand himself, his behavior, and mood. Some researchers even consider it a form of cognitive behavioral therapy.
Supporters of laughter therapy claim that it helps to improve emotional and physical well-being, more effectively resolve problematic issues, broaden one’s horizons and enrich oneself spiritually.
The foundations of the scientific discipline of gelotology (from Greek – “the science of laughter”) were laid in the 1960s by the American psychiatrist William Fry from Stanford University.
For the first time, the American journalist Norman Cousins spoke about the cure with laughter, also in the 60s of the XX century. He was diagnosed with collagen disease (collagenosis) and spondylitis (inflammation of the spine). Cousins has always been an optimist and believed that emotions determine a person’s health. He began to fight back pain with the help of large doses of vitamin C and watching funny TV shows and comedies – and this helped him. Based on his experience, Norman wrote the book Anatomy of a Disease in the Perception of a Patient.
Today, the International Society for Humor Studies (ISHS) and the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH) are studying the impact of humor on human health.
There are several areas of laughter therapy:
🔹Classic – Gelotologists tell jokes at the sessions, offer lists of comedies, read humorous stories, and so on;
🔹Laughter therapy as part of another independent method or author’s technique: breathing exercises (reflex laughter), tickling, artificial smile, meditation, and laughter yoga;
🔹Medical (hospital) clowning – humorous performances by artists for children who are on long-term treatment.
But is there any evidence for the effectiveness of laughter therapy?
Scientists have found that this practice has a number of positive effects on the body:
▫Laughter helps to reduce pain;
▫ Blocks the production of the stress hormone cortisol, as well as adrenaline, which can increase the risk of developing hypertension and heart failure;
▫Helps reduce blood pressure and, accordingly, reduces the likelihood of cardiovascular disease;
▫ Stimulates the production of endorphins;
▫ Makes the muscles of the diaphragm, abs, and shoulders work, and also arranges a good workout for the heart;
▫Allows you to burn from 2 to 10 kilocalories in 10-15 minutes;
▫Saturates the body with oxygen, which contributes to better brain function.
✔ In addition to positive physiological effects, laughter has a positive effect on our emotional state and mental health. It promotes a greater sense of happiness, allows you to express hidden emotions and look at problems more simply, and distracts from anger, guilt, and other negative feelings.
✔ Laughter and humor also help in learning, contributing to better memorization and a greater disposition to the teacher.
✔ There are some very unusual side effects of using humor for healing. For example, laughter therapy allows psychotherapists to protect themselves from professional burnout.
We hope that when you read our post, you at least smiled, and maybe even giggled once, thus having a session of laughter therapy.and