Laughter – The Best Medicine For Your Body And Your Relationships

Tim Clue

Everyone knows that “laughter is the best medicine,” and with numerous physical and mental benefits, there is little else that relieves stress as easily. As we spend more and more of our waking hours at the office, away from friends and family, it becomes increasingly important to find reasons to laugh while we work. One way a corporation can encourage more humor in the workplace is to hire a corporate comedian for business meetings or group events. These specialist motivational speakers improve life in the workplace by fostering a lighter, less stressful atmosphere. Though the effects of these speakers are relatively short-lived, some corporate comedians are able to teach groups ways to communicate more effectively, which can have the added bonus of alleviating stress when it arises.

Laughter benefits both our bodies and our minds in a number of ways. First of all, laughter helps us release tension: It provides a mini-workout for our muscles, which helps them stay relaxed for up to 45 minutes. Laughter protects our most hardworking muscle, the heart, by improving blood flow and decreasing the risk of heart disease and other common cardiovascular conditions. It also affects brain chemistry by releasing endorphins and decreasing stress hormones. Endorphins allow us to feel happier by promoting a sense of well-being, while a decrease in stress hormones boosts both well-being and the immune system.

But laughter goes beyond benefits to our bodies and minds; it is good for our relationships as well. Shared laughter helps people develop trust and friendship and encourages cooperation rather than competition. The bonds created by sharing a laugh with someone act as a buffer against stress and disagreement when issues arise. It is credited with helping people create stronger, deeper relationships and allowing them to lower their inhibitions and drop some of their defenses.

Since most of us spend at least 40 hours a week at the workplace, it is important to develop relatively relaxed relationships with co-workers, supervisors and employees. Laughter helps move the focus away from anger, stress, guilt and other negative emotions and improves a person’s response to stressful situations. Being able to laugh at a situation can help people view difficult events as challenges rather than as threats, which greatly improves the ability to handle problems that arise. A positive atmosphere in the workplace not only makes work more fun, but makes it more productive and creative as well.

Given all the benefits of laughter, it’s no wonder that corporations often hire corporate entertainers to speak at meetings and ceremonies. This is considered an investment, as building relationships and decreasing stress helps workers feel more positively about their jobs. When workers are more relaxed, they tend to be more productive and creative, which increases the bottom line for any business.

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