We all have heard of the myth claiming that the more you laugh, the longer you live. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can prove this correlation, yet there are still a multitude of health benefits which may contribute to a healthier, more productive life overall.

For starters, laughter counters the negative effects that stress often times has on the body through the triggered release of endorphins. This endorphin release can even temporarily relieve pain to a certain extent. The stress hormone, epinephrine, tends to lower from laughing, keeping blood pressure at a more normalized level. Additionally, when you laugh, T-cells (immune cells) are released, ultimately improving your overall resistance to disease.

Through a stomach-cramping laugh, physical tension is relieved for up to 45 minutes after the laugh attack comes to an end, and the muscles in your body become more relaxed. Laughter can help protect you from heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems by increasing blood flow throughout the body and improving the function of blood vessels overall.

One study found that you can burn about 40 calories after laughing for about 10-15 minutes per day — but this, of course, is by no means a substitute for your daily workouts at the gym.

Laughing does not only serve a multitude of physical benefits for your body, but also for your mental and emotional health. It can contribute an immense amount of joy to life by easing anxiety and relieving stress.  It can work to strengthen relationships between ourselves and others by allowing us to create a lighthearted bond over an assortment of topics. It can improve teamwork and defuse conflict in times of high tensions, and it creates a perfect environment for group bonding.

So, although laughing may not be adding years to your life, there is proof that comes in a variety of forms reiterating how positive laughing can be for you physically, mentally, and of course, emotionally.