Is There Really Something Funny About Jokes?
We all love to make people laugh but many of us do not know how to make others laugh. What are the most effective ways to put others in a good mood? What are the best tools you have at your disposal to lighten the mood? Can a joke really bring back fond memories of a holiday or can it make people forget about the worries of the day? If it can be used to bring a smile to someone’s face, then it is certainly worth using.
Humor is subjective to individual. What makes one person laugh differently than another person may be the circumstances surrounding their laughter or even the quality of the joke itself. Humor is considered very important factor that leads to successful social interaction. People tend to enjoy the company of others who can provide them with humor. Most importantly, it increases the quality of life enjoyed by everyone.
Laughter provides an outlet for our physical emotions which allow us to release stress through physical actions such as laughter. However, studies show that laughter does not directly lead to enhanced brain function. Instead, the benefits of laughter are more indirect resulting from the increased release of neurochemicals.
Neurochemicals are substances that send out an “infection” of sorts into the brain. The release of neurochemicals results in a feeling of well-being or feelings of pleasure. Neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine send signals between the nervous system and various parts of the body. When there is good nerve communication, the result is laughter or something funny which triggers an emotional response.
One of the benefits of funny or witty jokes is that the release of neurochemicals causes increased blood flow to the brain. The increased flow of oxygenated blood in the brain has been linked with the release of happy hormones such as serotonin which results in a feeling of well-being, relaxation and joy. This again links the act of sharing a laugh with others with improved overall well being.
Other studies have shown that sharing funny or witty jokes has also been linked to a reduction in blood pressure. This may help explain why some people do not smoke if they share a good many funny jokes with their friends. It has also been shown that laughter reduces levels of stress. Stress is known to be associated with insomnia, weight gain and poor health outcomes. Therefore, if you find that you are laughing at times when you would not normally, consider that a good laugh could be just what you need to reduce your level of stress and improve your overall health.