BATB230_The fun way to boost your immune system

Have you found yourself feeling run down, recovering from an illness or like me have an autoimmune disease? 🤒

I think (hope), that what I’m going to share with you about laughter could help improve your immune system! 

The Immune Booster

Our immune systems are pretty complex… so what’s the relevance of a giggle?

Well, laughter has a clever way of telling our cells to produce more antibodies, which help to fight off nasty infections! 👊😆

Scientists call this ‘mind-body medicine’.

But How?

Well, when you laugh, your diaphragm becomes a powerful pump for your lymphatic circulation (much like how your heart serves as the central pump that propels blood through your vessels).

This pumping action helps your lymphatic vessels carry fluid through, and allows the lymph nodes to remove all sorts of waste products 👍

Quite simply, when you increase your lymphatic flow your immune system improves, and helps the body heal itself quicker by producing more antibodies ❤️

Studies have shown that repetitious laughter also decreases stress hormones and lowers bad cholesterol and blood pressure! 👏

And, laughter is a pain reliever…

Have you ever stubbed your toe, but instead of crying started laughing? 🤣

Well, it turns out laughter can actually help to mask pain!

It’s all to do with endorphins, which are the body’s natural painkiller and ‘feel-good’ chemicals. When we laugh our body produces more of these, so you feel mentally and physically better! 🥰

When you’re feeling run down, consciously make an effort to make yourself laugh! 😂

It may feel counterintuitive, but it could be just what the doctor ordered!

Heres some of the things I love to do to boost my laughter, and I think you'll love them too!

Just like yawning, a smile is infectious and connects us with others 😁

Scientists have proven that smiling releases serotonin – a neurotransmitter that produces feelings of happiness and wellbeing!

The more we smile the happier we feel, and when we’re happy we’re much more likely to speak positively to ourselves! 🥰

Even if you smile without meaning it, the benefits are the same, because our brains can’t distinguish between real and fake smiling.

So, just fake it ‘til you make it! 💁‍♀️

If you come home after a bad day, try putting a comedy on Netflix or TV. It can really help to counteract a low mood…

…and get you ready for a good night’s sleep! 💤

Animals are known for their calming effects on humans… and can get up to some really funny stuff! 🐈

Spending time with my fluffy bundles of joy (my cats) is my favourite way to unwind – they always put a huge smile on my face!

And, if you don’t have a pet yourself, why not take a trip to a friend who has one! 🐱🐶

If you’re ever stuck for something to do in the evening, local comedy nights can be great fun 🎤🤣

Being united with others through laughter can create a really warm feeling inside you.

For me, there’s no better feeling than making someone laugh!

Sure, you might not be a comedian, but your hilarious tale might help to brighten up someone else’s day without you even realising! 💖

Let’s face it, when was the last time you laughed on the way to work? 😕

Well, all that could be about to change when you try listening to funny podcasts on your journey to and from work (or the school run!).

Some of my favourite places to find these are Spotify, iTunes and TuneIn! 🎧

YouTube and social media are brimming with entertaining content bound to make you giggle out loud (as an animal lover, some of my favourite clips are cats doing crazy things) 👩‍💻

Scrolling through funny pages and videos can really brighten up your day! 🌟

Whichever way works for you, I hope you find time to laugh today because just like the saying goes, “laughter really is the best medicine”! 🤣💖

So next time you’re doubled over laughing or simply giving a smile, remember that it’s doing so much more for you than you think!