Laugh a Lot Day

I googled Trivia Today and discovered October 29 is Laugh A Lot Day.  Apparently, the French laughed for 19 minutes a day back in the 1930's while they laugh for a mere minute nowadays.  Is laughter a lost art?  Do we take ourselves too seriously?  Are we too busy to laugh?  Laughter is not only good for the soul, it's also good for the body.  Here are some benefits:

-increases our endorphins and neurotransmitters
-strengthens our immune system
-strengthens our heart and lungs
-increases our good cholesterol
- decreases our blood pressure, arthritis, ulcers and inflammation
-decreases our stress hormone levels (cortisol, adrenalin)
-exercises our abs, facial muscles
-fights heart disease
-helps us forget our problems

Laughing 100 times is the equivalent of rowing 10 minutes on a rowing machine or cycling 15 minutes on a bike. 

Here are ten ways to initiate a chuckle:

1.  Smile (I think this is also a lost art.  Often I will smile at people and get nothing but a frown in return.)

2.  Read funny books or poetry (www.laughalotpoetry.com).

3.  Watch funny movies or TV shows.

4.  Visit funny websites.

5.  Make others laugh.

6.  Collect jokes.

7.  Do laughter yoga.

8.  Read comics.

9.  Join a laughter club.

10.  Marry someone with a good sense of humour (like I did!).