Yes, laugh now! Laugh at Charlie Chaplin. Chortle at a funny movie and giggle helplessly. Laugh more and live longer.

Laughing is not just exercising your 20 or more facial muscles. Research shows that laugh therapy is a secret to longevity. It can positively affect bodily diseases and conditions as diverse as high blood pressure, heart disease, flu, diabetes and even arthritis. It can also help boost the immune system.

Laughter is good and healthy for you because it improves the quality of life and lets you find the beauty in whatever situation you are in. It also provides some relief from pain because the pain is being redirected and overshadowed by probably a good story or a funny movie. Being exposed to something funny also allows people to tolerate more pain. It also encourages relaxation and reduces stress.

Some US centers now include a humor or smile therapy in their program. The program involves watching films, listening to tapes, reading books and attending humor workshops. Different forms of exercises like yoga is also sometimes incorporated.

So can laughing really provide all these benefits? Well, being a low and sour mood and being depressed has been proven to affect the physical health negatively. But humor and laughing does have an effect although researchers still can’t say clearly how but some of the clues really do show positive effects to health.

Happiness and laughter appears to increase the natural killer cell activity in the blood and free radical scavenging capacity in the saliva. It also lowers the stress hormone cortisol. Laughing is also shown to cause the release of special neurotransmitter substance in the brain called endorphins that can help control and numb the pain. And there are more direct physical effects of laughter, including increased breathing, more oxygen use, and higher heart rate.

Laughing also appears to lower the levels of protein involved in the progression of diabetic nephropathy, a kidney disease that occurs as a result of diabetes and which is the leading cause of kidney failure. Levels dropped substantially and immediately after being exposed to something funny like a comedy show.

With all the health advantages of laughing, it is then recommended to laugh at least 15 minutes daily. Laugh away the calories and effects of a small chocolate bar, laugh away and get a good heart and just laugh, laugh and be happy!