For centuries, different philosophical currents have recognized the importance of laughter and practiced it. It is known that in the ancient Chinese empire, over 4,000 years ago, there were temples where people gathered to laugh in order to balance their health; in India, there were also sacred temples where laughter was practiced. There are indications that Hippocrates, in the 4th century B.C., already used laughter therapy to heal his patients through games and play. The truth is that laughter causes a series of physiological changes in the human body, regulating hormone levels, including the release of endorphins, a hormone associated with the feeling of well-being, as well as increasing immune activity and slowing down aging. But that’s not all. According to research from an American university, the act of laughing expands the arteries, favoring blood circulation. Researchers found that the impact of watching a funny movie is equivalent to a session of aerobic exercise.
Watching war movies, in turn, reproduces reactions that occur in moments of anger, as violent images induce mental 
stress that, consequently, constricts the arteries and tenses the muscles of the body.
Researchers from the Garvan Institute in Sydney, Australia, discovered that during periods of stress, nervousness, or anxiety, nerves produce large amounts of neuropeptide Y (NPY), which, when released into the bloodstream, inhibits immune system cells responsible for destroying pathogenic agents (causing diseases) in the human body.
Moreover, in states of tension, all the facial muscles are involuntarily contracted, resulting in the appearance of wrinkles and accelerating the degeneration process of the skin, while a good laugh improves skin tone, reduces the tendency to sagging of the dermis, and promotes vascularization and oxygenation of the skin, leaving it nourished and with a youthful appearance.
Laughter works, but it needs to be practiced diligently. To benefit from the therapeutic properties that a good laugh can provide, the first thing to do is to reprogram yourself, replacing negative thoughts with positive, joyful, and confident ones.
Pessimism leads a person to stress and depression.
Pessimistic people tend to succumb to negative thoughts, and this causes them to live constantly anxious and distressed, sabotaging their own goals and reducing their self-esteem and self-confidence.
Adopt a lighter lifestyle, in every sense. From your diet to the commitments scheduled in your agenda. Set priorities. Make your day happier.
If you get out of bed in the morning thinking that your day will be terrible, your brain will certainly register that information — the first of the day — and contribute to making it truly terrible.
But if you wake up with a smile and get out of bed confident that your day will be productive and that you will succeed in your endeavors, the chances of that happening are much greater.
There is no path without stones, but the stones on the path can perfectly be diamonds. Have you thought about that? Even if we stumble over them, we can get up from the fall stronger than when we fell!
By allowing yourself to smile, even in the most difficult moments, you will be activating powerful forces that signal to your body that your mind is calm. This leads you toward physical and mental balance, and in that balance lies the key to solving most of the problems that afflict you.
So, smile!
DR. LAIR RIBEIRO
Cardiologist, speaker
www.lairribeiro.com.br
lrsintonia@terra.com.br