Louise talks about the power of laughter!
The Power of Laughter
I know that might sound ridiculous and perhaps inappropriate, but for me, when life feels heavy or stressful, and I acknowledge I need to see the world in a lighter shade. I seek out things that will make me laugh and remind me that the world isn't as dark as it may seem at times. My favourite mediums to turn to are Podcasts and social media because these are things I can implement during my daily routine. Before I share my recommendations of what works for me, here is a little information to back up my self-care suggestion.
The theory behind laughing
Stress relief from laughter
A good sense of humour can't cure all ailments, but data is mounting about the positive things laughter can do.
Short-term benefits
A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it can induce physical changes in your body. Laughter can:
• Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
• Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response, and it can increase and then decrease your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.
• Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.
Long-term effects
Laughter isn't just a quick pick-me-up, though. It's also good for you over the long term. Laughter may:
• Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. By contrast, positive thoughts can release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.
• Relieve pain. Laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers.
• Increase personal satisfaction. Laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations. It also helps you connect with other people.
• Improve your mood. Many people experience depression, sometimes due to chronic illnesses. Laughter can help lessen your stress, depression and anxiety and may make you feel happier. It can also improve your self-esteem.
This was taken from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456
My recommendations
All of these recommendations do contain swearing, so if under 18 you may need to seek parental guidance.
Podcasts
Educating Daisy - Daisy May Cooper has celebrities come on and talk about their favourite book. Daisy is not the most experienced of readers, so their explanations of the books are always alternative, and Daisy of course takes the reviews very seriously by making continuous jokes throughout each episode.
Life’s A Beach - Alan Carr pretends his house is an aeroplane and invites celebrities to come and talk about their best and worst holiday experiences. He has a wide range of guests, so you hear stories from caravan holidays in Clacton to ultimate luxury in the Maldives.
Staying Relevant - Pete Wickes and Sam Thompson are an unlikely pair that have become best friends. In this podcast they talk through their ongoing quest for fame and the challenges they have faced each week. Alongside them laughing at their own blunders in the week, they also invite listeners to submit their own tales, which Pete and Sam review, giving their honest opinions. Think unhelpful and rude agony aunt and you will have a clear picture of what that might look like.
Social media
As we all know, social media can be an unhelpful and scary place at times. My weeks can be quite busy, so I often find myself having five minutes to scroll on social media to switch off. Last year, I noticed my mood being impacted by what I was constantly being fed through my Instagram, but I also knew that I enjoyed seeing what my friends and family were up to. So, I made the decision to flood my social media which positive and funny pages. I haven’t added any specific recommendations here because I feel these are a total personal preference. But an example of what I follow, is animal related, feminist comedy, a woman that reviews her interactions with men on Tinder and a hilarious Irish man that rates a wide selection of items, such as biscuits and ice creams. As I said before, very much a personal preference!
