A sense of humour helps us to live life in a positive way and helps us to surround ourselves with people who feel very good by our side .A sense of humour and laughter is one of the funniest things we can enjoy and it is also free. In fact, there are few things healthier than laughing, as it improves our general and emotional health.

Did you know that laughter is used in psychological therapy? This is what is known as laughter therapy and you can find out more in our article: “Laughter therapy: the psychological benefits of laughter”

What are the benefits of having a sense of humor

A sense of humor has a number of benefits. But what are they? In the following lines we explain them to you.

1. Help to cope with stress

We live in an accelerated society, in which we do not stop for a moment to connect with ourselves . The pace of life in the West can often lead us to feel stressed and burned out, to feel mentally exhausted. Experts say that stress is one of the diseases of the 21st century.

Logically, there are many variables that cause stress, but we have the possibility that the situation will not end with us. Taking a humorous approach to life helps you adapt better to hostile environments. While it may be impossible to apply a sense of humor, for example, in times of war, the problems of the first world are often rooted in our way of thinking.

Therefore, as much as possible, practicing your sense of humor on a daily basis can help you find the emotional balance you often desire.

2. Attracts people

We like to surround ourselves with people who make us laugh and make us feel good , because laughter helps to release endorphins and serotonin, which are neurochemicals associated with pleasure and happiness.

That’s why having a good sense of humor attracts others and helps them have a positive experience. If we also apply a sense of humor to our lives, it will also get us on the right track and allow us to meet interesting people. A sense of humour helps us to find ourselves in a positive atmosphere.

3. Sense of humor captures the listener’s attention

A sense of humour is a resource that many speakers use, simply because it creates a unique connection with the listener and also captures their full attention . A sense of humour is fundamental in public speaking, because the speaker must convey emotions, and it is well known that positive emotions such as humour can bring a smile to the audience’s face while the speaker provides valuable information.

4. Improves long-term memory retention

But the use of humour in conversation not only helps to capture attention in the moment and connect with the listener, but also and causes it to improve their long-term memory retention . At least that is what a study carried out by Melissa B states. Wanzer, which was published in the scientific journal “Communication Education”.

According to the expert: “Humor, together with instructional messages, gets the listeners’ attention, helps them understand the course content and increases their ability to process the content, resulting in greater retention and learning.

5. Helps you relax

Humour is not only a resource to catch the attention of the audience, but also is key to relax the person giving a talk because it acts as a protective shield against nerves .

If you laugh at yourself, you will be more relaxed than if you are continually thinking about how others value you.

6. Good for brain health

The health of the brain is also benefited by the sense of humor, because laughing is good for our thinking organ . According to research from the University of London, jokes activate the part of the brain that is important for learning and understanding. “Simply by listening to new jokes we are working these regions of the brain and that can improve your health and keep you active,” the scientists explain.

7. Improves heart health

Furthermore, as the professor of biochemistry and molecular biology Natalia López points out, humour activates a brain mechanism that is called “error detection central” . This area of the brain processes language, and when something does not make sense, it detects the error and synchronises the logical and illogical aspects of the narration. When the error is detected, the brain releases dopamine, which is associated with the repetition of pleasurable behaviours.

8. Improves general health

The sense of humor and laughter improve the immune system, so the body becomes more efficient in fighting infections and reduces threatening agents . Studies have also shown that it relaxes the muscles and lowers blood pressure, so it is a great way to keep the heart healthy and reduce the chances of having a heart attack or stroke.

9. Makes you happier

According to George E Vaillant, in his book “Aging Well” he explains that “When we grow up, we realize that a sense of humor is one of the most adaptive and healthy qualities, which allows us to have a happy life”.

In addition, laughter and humor improve mood and help us feel better about ourselves and life in general. Sometimes we need to disconnect from things that stress us out, and humour is a good way to do this .