People often hear that laughter is the best medicine, but what does that mean, really? Laughter and the brain have an incredible effect on a person’s life from their professional career to their family life. From the ability to accomplish the most basic of tasks to tackling some of the most complicated, intricate, or difficult challenges in their life, laughter and the brain go hand in hand like peas and carrots, or peanut butter and jelly.
Never underestimate laughter and the brain
What causes laughter? The age old question may not have a significant answer as of yet, but it’s enough to get us started on the discussion. When someone finds something humorous, the tendency is to laugh. Some people stifle laughter, thinking it is out of line, unprofessional, or uncouth. Laughter is incredible important to health and vibrancy in life and to overall well-being.
Why? It’s simple. When a person laughs, the brain releases chemicals in the brain that trigger an emotional feeling of happiness. Giddiness, even. These chemicals, such as dopamine and adrenaline, are naturally occurring chemicals but they are only called on within the brain for certain instances. We’ve all heard that a person in a stressful situation, such as a loved on pinned underneath a car, has been able to lift the car off the person and help them escape. Adrenaline is what causes this to happen.
Dopamine is chemical that is associated with depression. The wrong levels of dopamine in the brain can equate to depression and feelings of loneliness, isolation, or loss. A person may not understand why they have these feelings, and may actually think that their life couldn’t be better. Not much seems funny at times like this and laughter and the brain are just words on a page.
How laughter and the brain work
When a person laughs, something, some kind of external stimulus has triggered the reaction that causes the laughter and the brain reacts by producing more of the positive chemicals that induce a positive feeling. How many times have you laughed and felt bad at the same time? Laughter and the brain work together to create this positive feeling and when the laughter subsides, the person actually feels better.
The feeling may not last long, however. Laughter is usually only temporary, though some people have been known to laugh for a long, long time, until it hurts, they can’t breath, and can’t take it anymore.
Think back on the last time you laugh. I mean, really laughed. You found something hysterical and couldn’t help yourself. You let go of all of your inhibitions and laughed and laughed and laughed. Now, think about how you felt while you were laughing. It was a good feeling, wasn’t it? That the effect of laughter and the brain.
Then perhaps when you finally managed to gain control of your faculties for a moment, you felt guilty. Maybe you were laughing at someone’s misstep. Maybe a friend was backing up to take a picture and stepped off the edge of the pool, splashing, fully clothed, into the water. Once the laughter subsided, you felt that guilt was the appropriate response. But something inside you wouldn’t allow that to happen. At least not completely.
That’s because of the effect of laughter on the brain. The chemicals that were released in the brain in response to the laughter, whatever it was that you found humorous, allow you to feel good for a time. At least until the chemical effect wears off. Then perhaps you feel guilt as it truly is.
Until that chemical reaction wears off, though, you are in the midst of the true definition of laughter and the brain.
How does laughter and the brain help in everyday life?
The question may be how does laughter and the brain affect everyday life? The answer is both simple and complicated. The simple answer is that when you laugh, your brain reacts by producing chemicals that make you feel happy. If you are struggling in life, feeling depressed, stressed, frustrated, or any number of challenging emotions, then laughing will naturally help you feel better.
A brain that produces positive reactions can accomplish far more than one relying on the depressive chemicals.
Dr. Fleming’s solution:
Dr. Fleming has long been working on studying the brain and psychology for most of his professional career and, through his efforts, has unlocked a number of incredible keys to overcoming any number of challenges. His customized one-on-one approach has helped thousands of clients from around the world improve their lives, overcome addictions, and become better people.
Dr. Fleming’s vast experience includes:
- PhD trained with experience in not only addiction and clinical arenas but also corporate and executive development arenas.
- All one-on-one intensive arrangements customized and feature brain-retraining interventions and in depth, comprehensive assessment technologies.
- Come to the client and work “in their world” real time (no in patient stay overs that make a professional lose touch w/their busy life and work commitments).
- Versed in neuroscience and brain-based solutions that break the barriers around effectively changing a human being’s patterns of choices/behaviors.
- Coached hundreds of executives and professionals on 5 continents
- Over 95 percent “highly satisfied w/outcomes.”
- Been featured expert in The New York Times and Christian Science Monitor, and in featured interviews alongside gurus such as Marshall Goldsmith.
- A former shrink who knows under the radar barriers of human nature but doesn’t act like a shrink—a down to earth change agent who speaks it like it is.
- Former Hollywood high end clients come from his work as a recording artist as well as private coach for “derailed notables.”
- Former big name clients have trusted him: from a former White House Cabinet member to NFL athletes to professional musicians to Fortune 500 C-levels.