Laughter has long been heralded as something that isn’t just fun but also has health benefits. When people laugh, they feel good. It turns out that it is more than just a surface-level fact, too. For aging adults, laughing may be even more important for them to do as often as possible. Home care assistance providers help seniors adopt all sorts of healthier habits, including laughing more often.
Keeping the Immune System Strong
For some reason, laughing and enjoying humorous activities help to keep the immune system strong. This is really important for seniors who might be more susceptible to illnesses and infections. When aging adults are sick more often, it can be a lot more difficult to find things to laugh about.
Home care assistance providers can help keep spirits up for seniors, reminding them that there’s a lot to enjoy about their daily lives.
Reducing Pain and Inflammation
The human body has a lot of ways to relieve pain and inflammation. The most effective way is through the different chemicals that the brain releases. Endorphins, in particular, are “happy” chemicals that make the body feel better overall, which is especially helpful when seniors are in pain.
Laughing helps to release more of these chemicals while also reducing levels of other chemicals, like cortisol, that can cause pain and inflammation.
Supporting Memory and Brain Health
If seniors feel stressed and under a lot of strain, it’s more difficult for their brains to work as well as they want them to work. They may experience memory trouble and have trouble concentrating. Laughing more often reduces stress hormone production, giving the brain a better chance at processing memories more effectively.
Home care assistance caregivers can help seniors find activities to enjoy that regularly inspire laughter.
Reducing Blood Pressure
Stress is just one of the factors that can cause or worsen high blood pressure. Laughing improves blood circulation and oxygenation, which is great for heart health.
However, it also helps to reduce stress hormones that might make seniors feel even more stressed than they actually are. Reducing stress reduces blood pressure, which helps seniors feel better overall. That, in turn, can have the added effect of reducing stress even more.
Reducing Stress and Anxiety
When seniors laugh more, their brains can release all sorts of chemicals, including dopamine and endorphins, that help to naturally reduce stress and anxiety. Laughing also helps to reduce physical tension in the body. Feeling tense is often a side effect of both stress and anxiety, so being able to let go of that tension helps seniors feel better overall.
Finding ways to laugh more doesn’t have to be complicated for seniors. Spending time with home care assistance professionals can offer the companionship that seniors have been lacking, for instance. They can also engage in games and other activities together that lead to situations that are humorous.
Regardless of how seniors start to laugh more, they may start to realize just how much more enjoyable life is when they’re doing more laughing.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Home Care Assistance in Brookfield, WI, please contact the caring staff at Talem Home Care & Placement Services today. Call (414) 206-2090
At Talem Home Care of Milwaukee, we provide passionate, understanding, and flexible caregivers in Brookfield, Cudahy, Delafield, Franklin, Greendale, Greenfield, Hales Corners, Milwaukee, Mukwonago, Muskego, New Berlin, Oak Creek, Oconomowoc, Pewaukee, Shorewood, South Milwaukee, Waukesha, Wauwatosa, West Allis and surrounding areas in Wisconsin.
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