16/06/2026
“I already laugh enough, I don’t really need a laughter session!”
I hear this a lot, and it always makes me smile. It’s wonderful to have a life filled with naturally funny moments, but intentionally practicing laughter is a whole different ball game.
Even if you’re getting your daily dose of giggles, there is always space to invite more in. Here are three reasons why:
⏱️ The Afterglow of Duration: A casual joke might give us a quick 3-to-5 minute chuckle, leaving us with a lovely but fleeting spike of dopamine and endorphins. A dedicated laughter session extends that practice from 10 all the way to 60 minutes, creating a massive, residual chemical afterglow that can lift your state of mind for up to 24 hours.
🌬️ The Biology of the Belly Laugh: Most social laughter is quite shallow. In a intentional session, we tap into deep, diaphragmatic belly laughs. These big inhales and massive exhales increase oxygen levels across your body and brain, while actively stimulating your vagus nerve. This triggers your parasympathetic nervous system, sending a powerful body-wide signal that it is safe to deeply relax and ground yourself.
✨ Unconditional State-Shifting: What happens when the jokes are over? When we practice unconditional laughter laughing simply for the sake of laughing, without needing a punchline we train our brains. By building this muscle in a safe, controlled space, we find it so much easier to access that state-shifting tool when we are faced with life’s inevitable challenges.
(Of course, as I always say, there will be those days when accessing any laughter feels completely impossible—and that is entirely okay! On those days, just gently seek out external things that can bring a smile to your face and help change your state of mind. Laughter is a tool!.)
Laughter wellness isn’t about replacing the natural joy you already have; it’s about giving your body a profound, restorative tune-up.
Have you ever tried laughing purely for the sake of it? Let me know in the comments! 👇
