Instagram: @karliekloss
This image of Karlie Kloss and BFF Jourdan Dunn goofing around backstage before taking to the runway makes me want to stress less and laugh more. Keeping morale high and increasing the spirits of those around you can actually make you more productive and positive as a result. So forget typing “LOL”—to reap the benefits of laughter, you have to physically start doing it. A hearty laugh or ab-crunching fit of the giggles, although frowned upon in some situations, is actually very good for you.
Not only does an animated smile complete with a chuckle make you instantly more attractive and a pleasure to be around, it has benefits for your health. Being high-strung and staunch-faced is so passé—it’s time to give the Zoolander jaw clenching and pouting a much-needed break and start sharing a good giggle instead.
Here’s why laughter is truly the best medicine:
1. Releases Stress. A good laugh can physically help you to relax your muscles and reduce aggression.
2. Increases Healthy Blood Flow. The increase in your blood pressure enables more oxygen to get around the body and fast.
3. Boosts Your Heart Rate. Much like exercise, you burn calories when your heart rate increases, as it does when you laugh.
4. Improves Immune System. When stress levels are on the rise, your immune system may start to falter. When you are relaxed, the body has a boost in the number of immune cells to fight any lurking anti-bodies.
5. Helps Break Pain Barriers. Laughing relaxes you, so it can effectively help with pain relief; it distracts you while any pain may start to dissipate.
6. Aids digestion. The aerobic exercise when you chuckle can help you digest your food.
