How Laughter Helps Brain Connectivity and Communication
We have one more lesson on laughter this month, and then we are on to another fantastic relationship topic! And we have saved one of the most interesting facts about laughter for last!
But, before we get to that one, let's do a little recap on this month's remarkable facts about laughter!
#1 Laughter Increases Serotonin Levels
Laughter can help your body release more serotonin which can improve your mood and decrease your levels of stress, making it easier to connect with your partner.
#2 Laughter Can Strengthen Your Bond
Humor is one of the first things that can garner attraction in a relationship, and it is those shared laughs that can make it last. Whether it's an inside joke or funny little quarks your partner does, that laughter can help build intimacy and a connection that you cannot get with anyone else.
#3 Laughter Helps You Decrease Pain
Laughter helps your body release endorphins. Endorphins are your body's natural painkillers. They help us generate a sense of security and peacefulness. These things are important in long-term relationships as well as marriages.
#4 Laughter Helps Your Heart
Essentially, laughter has similar benefits as cardiovascular workouts; the difference is that sudden bursts of laughter can have immediate effects. So, look for opportunities to laugh!
#5: Laughter Helps Brain Connectivity and Communication
Think about the last time you heard someone laugh. It may not have even been someone you know. Did your ears perk up? Did you instantly try and decipher the laughter? Well, you might not have realized it, but when we hear someone laugh, our brains jump into hyper-brain-activity mode to try and decipher the laugh within milliseconds.
This is why we react differently to different kinds of laughter. Someone laughing at a joke will garner a different reaction to someone who is laughing sarcastically. Tickling laughter produces a different reaction than joyous laughter.
On a relationship level, this brain activity is a form of communication. When we hear our partners laugh, our brain tries to figure out how they are feeling and what that laugh means. The more comfortable you are with someone, and the more time you spend around them, the more your brain will start to recognize their laughter.
You'll know when you're partner is fake laughing, when they are joyous, when their laughter includes anxiety, or when they are just having an amazingly happy time with you. This information allows you to understand better your partner and how to support them. If they are joyous, laugh along with them! If their laugh isn't normal and you detect something off, ask them about it and find ways to help them.
Laughter is a powerful tool. It can create physiological reactions in our bodies that make us feel happy. It can strengthen our hearts, our brains, and our immune systems, and it can help us better communicate with our loved ones. So in your relationship, always find time for laughter!
Monday Motivation
DECIPHER MY FACE
What to do: Every day this week, spend 5 minutes or so staring at each other's faces. Make funny faces or pretend to show off a particular emotion and see if your partner can guess it.
Each time you do this, try and think of a different emotion you haven't used before, and don't be afraid to choose obscure emotions! Make it tough!
This activity will help you practice for a date night idea we have coming later in the week.
Why are we doing this? Much like how our brains react to hearing laughter when we look at someone's facial expressions, our brains work super quickly to try and figure out what the person is feeling. Some of us are quicker and better at understanding emotional facial expressions. Nevertheless, it is an important tool for reading, reacting, and supporting your partner based on how they are feeling. This activity allows you to learn more about your partner's facial expressions so you can help support them in the future.
Date Night Ideas
Here are your last date night ideas for May! We've got another awesome round of content coming next Monday, but for now, let's end this month with some laughter!
Let's get to dating!