Before your next difficult conversation it might be a good idea to have a  laugh. Laughter is a great stress reliever. When under stress we will often interpret neutral comments as criticism and our short-term memory is impaired because our brains are overloaded.

How do you rid yourself of stress? Physical exercise has always been the answer and now according to Dr. Lee Berk at the University of Loma Linda in California, the body’s response to laughter is similar to the effect of a repetitive exercise.  He found that a belly laugh is equivalent to  “internal jogging” and laughter can provide good cardiac conditioning, especially for those unable to perform physical exercise.

Women seemed to benefit more in lowering their blood pressure with a good laugh than men and frequent belly laughs empty your lungs, resulting in a cleansing effect similar to deep breathing. You can find the study at http://www.holisticonline.com/Humor_Therapy/humor_therapy_benefits.htm

So find a sitcom you enjoy or rent a funny movie and get exercising! And remember, that if you are under stress, your communication style may change. What can you do?  Be mindful of the words you use and think before you speak. You can never regret something you did not say.

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