“Epoch Times, October 12, 2025” (Reported by Chen Juncun, Epoch Times) There is a saying: “Laughter is the best medicine.” The power of laughter can help us relieve stress and eliminate negative emotions. Therefore, in our daily lives, we should try to share a smile with ourselves and others. To make life more full of laughter, psychologists have shared 5 methods.
Psychologist and senior lecturer in forensic psychology at the University of Worcester in the UK, Gill Harrop, wrote on Psychology Today that laughter is one of the most direct and effective ways to release stress from a psychological perspective.
When we laugh, our bodies are filled with endorphins and dopamine, which helps to elevate mood and manage stress. Our muscles relax, our breathing deepens, and our nervous system relaxes from a state of alertness.
Sense of humor is a personality trait that allows us to demonstrate or appreciate humor to varying degrees. Our own sense of humor determines how much joy we derive from laughter. Therefore, finding people with a similar sense of humor, who find similar things interesting, and enjoy seeking humor just like you, may indeed be a stroke of luck.
Harrop mentioned that as children, we naturally laugh, play, and find happiness in what we do. However, as adults, this can be challenging because we have responsibilities, work hard to pay bills, and constantly face challenges in the world, especially when seriousness is often associated with maturity.
If you can’t remember the last time you genuinely laughed, that’s okay. The ability to laugh hasn’t disappeared; it’s just dormant, like a muscle that can be exercised and strengthened. Here are 5 methods to add more fun to your life:
You can watch comedy specials, listen to funny podcasts, or spend time with people who make you laugh and share a sense of humor with you. If you’re not sure what you find funny, take some time to explore different situations and note what makes you happy and eager to participate.
Remember, laughter is a social phenomenon. Being with others makes us laugh more, so consider attending a live comedy show or arranging an evening out with friends for a chat and a good laugh.
You don’t have to search for funny things everywhere. Adding humor to life often means finding joy and laughter in everyday trivialities. For example, chasing after a puppy in the garden trying to retrieve your work ID badge it just snatched. There are plenty of reasons to laugh in life; we just need to make an effort to discover them and respond with fun and humor.
Research has found that laughing together with others can strengthen our social relationships, making us feel closer to others. Of course, the premise is to laugh with others, not at them. We should focus on finding a shared sense of humor with those around us, allowing everyone to enjoy the fun that jokes bring. The goal is to please each other, not to be arrogant or make fun of others.
As adults, we may build walls and feel the need to always be serious, but this is not always necessary. Of course, there are some obvious limitations, such as during important work meetings or serving as a juror, where you definitely don’t want to joke around! However, many occasions provide opportunities to inject some fun or humor, so be willing to seek them out when the opportunity arises.
We don’t have to wait for life to be perfect before seeking laughter. When facing challenges, it can accompany us through difficult times, acting as a protective buffer. Many times, sharing humor and laughter can be a positive and useful way to cope with challenging or unbearable moments in life.
In such situations, laughter is not about avoiding difficulties but about seeking a way to make them more bearable, finding brightness and joy even in the darkest times.