Is exercise always a three-minute enthusiasm? Laughter makes people more likely to exercise

Regular exercise is good for health, but many people only get interested in exercise for a short period of time and are unable to establish regular exercise habits. At this time, why not add a little laughter to your exercise! Whether it is a real smile or a fake one, the action of laughing can connect exercise with a feeling of happiness, enhance the effectiveness of exercise and establish a habit of regular exercise.

The old man is too lazy to move! Lack of motivation + boring exercise is the key

For older people, regular exercise helps maintain heart health, control weight, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and strengthen bones and muscles. However, older people often lack motivation and are unable to enjoy exercise, so they are unable to develop a habit of regular exercise.

Research: Smiling while exercising makes the elderly more likely to exercise!

A study published in the Journals of Gerontology found that combining exercise with laughter can help older adults start exercising and develop a regular habit. The study was led by Celeste Greene and colleagues at the Georgia Institute of Gerontology.

The study subjects included 27 elderly people. The researchers designed the "Laugh Active" program, which incorporated laughter imitation techniques into moderate and vigorous physical activities, allowing participants to choose to laugh without any humorous stimulation. Mimicking laughter can lead to eye contact and playful behavior with others, which can lead to real laughter. Participants attended 12 45-minute sessions that included exercises to increase strength, balance and flexibility, combined with 8 to 10 bursts of laughter, each lasting 30 to 60 seconds.

After the program, participants completed questionnaires assessing their mental health and aerobic endurance. The results showed that 96.2% of the participants said that laughter made exercise more fun, and 88.9% of the participants felt that the laughing part of the program made it easier for them to accept exercise and want to continue exercising.

Laughter triggers positive stimulation, makes you happy and more active

Psychiatrist Fan Lequn said that the process of exercise often produces a feeling of fatigue. Combining exercise with laughter or simple positive stimulation, such as sharing interesting things with friends, can not only enhance the effect of exercise, but also establish the habit of exercise because of the connection between exercise and happiness.

Dr. Fan Lequn said that "laughter" has a positive impact on the body and mind. When we laugh, it stimulates the brain to secrete serotonin, which increases blood flow and oxygen content, improves memory and concentration, and also expands the chest and lungs, massaging deep muscle groups. In addition, when you laugh and cause others to laugh too, you will also feel happy because you get positive feedback.

Real smile or fake smile is both a kind of body movement!

Ye Yaxin, director of the Mental Health Center of the Tung Foundation, said that whether it is a real smile (a happy smile) or a fake smile (a simulated smile), it is a form of exercise for the body. Especially for the elderly with cognitive impairment, there is no joke at all, and they do not need to understand the meaning of the joke to laugh. By imitating the act of "laughing", it helps to stabilize emotions and relax.

Sometimes when older people are thinking about something, they will unconsciously frown or look tense. Ye Yaxin suggests that the elders should always remind themselves to relax their facial expressions and smile at the right time, as this will make it easier for others to respond with a smile. In addition, when you wake up every morning, you can practice smiling in front of the mirror. Even if you feel awkward at first, after doing it for a few days, you will be able to smile naturally.

Younger generations can let their elders choose their favorite sports to encourage them instead of forcing them or repeatedly reminding them. They can also assign tasks, such as taking a walk with their granddaughter, walking with friends and chatting, or helping their children lose weight, to make the elders feel needed and increase their willingness to exercise.