6 Ways to Add Laughter into Your Life with Diabetes!

Laughter has many benefits for all of us. It brings a shared sense of relief, it can bring a group together, it builds trust, it relieves stress, releases tension and provides a mental break.

It provides a coping skill for dealing with a chronic illness, it helps support the immune system and increases endorphin release (those feel good hormones). It also decreases cortisol, our stress hormone. This is important because when we are stressed, cortisol gets dumped into our system to prepare our bodies to run or fight. It also dumps a bunch of glucose or sugar into the bloodstream as fuel for these actions.

Big belly laughs can provide some exercise for your muscles like diaphragm, abdominal muscles, lungs, facial muscles and back muscles. These help you relax and take a break from your life for a few moments. It also helps you begin to shift your attitude to being more positive and hopeful about your life. It helps to laugh at yourself whenever you can.

And, drum roll… it can prevent worsening of diabetic complications. Laughter can help reduce pain. It helps you forget your troubles, gives you a break and opens up more energy for you to deal with what’s in front of you.

How can you add more laughter into your life?

1. Set an intention to laugh. The more you do it, the more you will laugh!

2. Along the same lines, smile more.

3. Get a daily calendar with a joke or comic for the day. Some are hilarious.

4. Try comedy – whether it’s a movie, a television show or a comedy show. All of these are opportunities to laugh. Try looking at stuff from your childhood. I loved the Dick Van Dyke show when I was a kid. Very funny.

5. Get a pet or find opportunities to be around cats, dogs and other animals. They do some really funny things.

6. Babies have a laugh that is very contagious.

There are lots of ways to add laughter into your life. Do what works for you. It is a very healing activity.

Dr Elaine

Download my free 30 Day Guide to Manage or Reverse Type 2 Diabetes 

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider for advice about a specific medical condition.

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