Scientists all over the world have long been interested in the reason for the appearance and significance of laughter in people's lives. It is assumed that the skill arose in the process of evolution and was firmly entrenched in a person. If this happened, then it is logical to think that this ability should give some advantages to its owner. A number of researchers argue that laughter is a protective reaction of the body that saves a person in certain situations.
Laughter relieves tension
Scientists have hypothesized that laughter is a defense mechanism for the brain. It (the mechanism) turns on when a person collides with something incomprehensible, illogical. Perhaps evolutionarily it looked like this: people faced with a paradoxical situation did not turn sour, did not lose heart, but, on the contrary, laughed at what was happening or at themselves in the given circumstances. Life has shown that in the end they were more successful in solving or understanding the problem than those who became discouraged and grieved. That is why such a reaction became entrenched in human behavior, and it could already be said that a sense of humor and laughter (all according to Darwin) became an evolutionary advantage of homo sapiens, which helped him to survive.
A fact from modern life: under stress (examination session, emergency at work, personal drama), a person unconsciously tries to laugh and joke more often, seeks contacts with positive people, witches and jokes, unless, of course, we are talking about deep depression or existing neurosis. True, sometimes in such situations, laughter turns out to be nervous, smiles are crooked, and giggles are hysterical. But still, psychologists believe, it is much more useful than accumulating tensions in oneself.
The stress accumulated by the body will sooner or later break through, but when it has not found an outlet for too long in the form of vivid emotions (crying, laughter, etc.), everything can end in a nervous breakdown, dangerous to health, and even psychosis.
Laughter conquers pain
Scientists from different countries have conducted research aimed at studying the nature and function of laughter. Based on the results obtained, they argue that laughter can overcome pain. When a person laughs, the amount of endorphin in his blood sharply increases - a hormone that can cause feelings of joy and contentment, and significantly reduce pain sensations, or even remove them altogether. Thus, people laughing heartily forget that something hurts somewhere, and the main pain reliever in this case is laughter.
Laughter boosts immunity
Smile, laughter, and even more so laughter, has a very strong effect on human consciousness and has many non-obvious effects. One of the first neurologists to investigate the healing properties of laughter, American William Fry, set up an experiment: he took blood samples from volunteers (these were his students), then told them funny jokes, and then again took blood and compared the results of the blood composition. It turned out that in the blood taken after a session with anecdotes, the amount of antibodies was increased, i.e. activation of immunity was manifested.
Subsequent studies by British scientists also indicate that the immune system of cheerful and cheerful people, always ready to smile and open laughter, has the best resistance to many diseases (for example, the flu virus). According to Austrian psychologists, laughter is perhaps the best therapy for stroke patients.
Today, laughter therapy has become a popular phenomenon in Western countries. There are even different schools there, working according to different methods, but based on laughter. Therapists call their teaching the yoga of laughter.
Laughter heals the whole body
Laughter, like a full-fledged workout in a gym, actively engages 80 muscle groups, including the diaphragm, abdominals, and face. When a person laughs, the breath is especially deep, which means that the oxygen reserves in the tissues are renewed, the lungs are straightened, the airways are freed. In addition, laughter has a beneficial effect on the work of the heart. Perhaps, there is not a single organ left that would not have a positive effect on laughter.
Somehow Swiss physiologists have calculated that one minute of laughter is equivalent to a 30-minute run. And that's not to mention how effective gymnastics the facial muscles get! During a funny laugh, at least 15 facial muscles are involved, which helps to maintain the elasticity of the facial skin.
