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Add Laughter to Your Exercise Routine
While this won’t replace calories burned in a gym or a quick run, it can complement your wellness routine. The added bonuses of increased endurance and upped heart rate also support your general activities. Plus, staving off a few more calories isn’t a bad deal.
What if You Find It Hard to Laugh?
Life can throw us into tough spots where laughter seems to have gone on vacation. Many factors can lead to this laughter drought, such as stress, anxiety, or a refined sense of humor. But, given the great benefits of laughter, it may help to sometimes fake it.
The Reason Jokes Give Us PleasureThere’s a scientific reason why we fall for the funny person. In a 2012 podcast for Utrecht University, Dr. Madelijn Strick explains that when you joke or laugh about a joke, it activates the prefrontal cortex in your brain (3).It’s the part of your brain that helps you connect pieces of information, such as the punchline of a joke. As you process the joke, the “reward area” is activated. The same brain area also becomes active when you enjoy pleasures like delicious chocolate.Activating reward centers in the brain bolsters confidence, upping your charm and ability to build connections. Why not use the science to your advantage?
The Reason Jokes Give Us Pleasure
There’s a scientific reason why we fall for the funny person. In a 2012 podcast for Utrecht University, Dr. Madelijn Strick explains that when you joke or laugh about a joke, it activates the prefrontal cortex in your brain (3).
It’s the part of your brain that helps you connect pieces of information, such as the punchline of a joke. As you process the joke, the “reward area” is activated. The same brain area also becomes active when you enjoy pleasures like delicious chocolate.
Activating reward centers in the brain bolsters confidence, upping your charm and ability to build connections. Why not use the science to your advantage?
See Also on Bored Panda
ReferencesBuchowski, M., Majchrzak, K., Blomquist, K. et al. “Energy expenditure of genuine laughter.” International Journal of Obesity, May 2, 2006. |https://www.nature.com/articles/0803353Lawrence Robinson, Melinda Smith, M.A., and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. “Laughter is the Best Medicine.” HelpGuide.Org, June 2023. |https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/laughter-is-the-best-medicine.htmDr. Madelijn Strick. “Why does humour make someone so incredibly attractive?” Utrecht University, October 12, 2021. |https://www.uu.nl/en/news/why-does-humour-make-someone-so-incredibly-attractive
References
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