Ease Your Stress With Laughter
By Brandi Goodman
Humor Month encourages everyone to find the humor in everyday life. Spending time laughing is extremely beneficial for your mental health and even helps keep stress to a minimum. When you're hoping to seek stress relief and be in a better mood, do what you can to laugh and enjoy yourself. It's healthy for you.
Laugh With Friends
Do you have friends who make you laugh every time you're together? Spend time with them as often as you can. Spending time laughing with friends is great for stress and can help raise your spirits. When you're feeling particularly down, a visit with a friend can help cheer you up. Laugh with them and you'll be even more likely to benefit from the visit.
Laugh at Your Favorite Funny Movie
Most people have a favorite movie they can watch over and over again without ever being bored of it. Pick the funny movie you like best and watch it when you're feeling down. Watching the same movie or show over and over is actually a coping mechanism that helps with anxiety because you already know what's coming. If you can laugh at all the same jokes you first heard, it must be good.
Laugh at a Comedy Show
A live comedy show can really get you laughing. See when your favorite comedian will be in town or near enough that you can make the visit. You'll have a great time sitting in a crowd and listening to everyone laugh along at the jokes. Some places even host shows for local comedians. Attend and you may just find your new favorite.
Laugh at Yourself
When you make a mistake, it's easy to get down on yourself. Try your best not to, though. The negativity can really impact your mental well-being. Instead, laugh at yourself. "Whoops. That was a mistake," you can joke. "Better luck next time." Laughing at yourself and trying to downplay the situation can help you realize it's not a big deal and life can go on.
Laugh at a Joke Book
Pick up a joke book from a bookstore or your local library. You may need to read through it a bit before you find some of the funniest ones, but there's bound to be something in there that will make you chuckle. A basic joke book is an easy way to get some laughter out of you even when you're not in the mood. Sometimes, you just can't stop yourself from smiling even at the oldest and punniest ones. "What kind of tea is hard to swallow? Reality." Ha!
Laugh it up every chance you get. There are so many things you can find that will make you laugh. Enjoy these activities and spend time around others cracking jokes. You'll be all the better for it.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in St. Petersburg, Fla.