TresSugar

Dear Poll: Do You Ever Break the Tension With Laughter?

DearSugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:00:00 PST

Couples fight, it just comes with the territory, but knowing when to call a truce takes a certain sense of humility. I've found that laughter helps to keep things in perspective so tell me, have you ever cracked a joke or started to giggle in order to keep the peace in your relationship?

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Dear Poll: Does Your Boyfriend Make You Laugh?

DearSugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:00:00 PDT

For me, humor isn’t just an important aspect of a significant other; it’s an absolute must. I need to be around someone who can make me laugh, both in the best of times, and also during the worst. I’ve come to realize though that not everyone shares my sentiments. So does your boyfriend’s sense of humor make you giggle?

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Dear Poll: Do You Consider Yourself Funny?

DearSugar — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:00:00 PDT

I love a good laugh - who doesn’t? - but while I’ve certainly said a few witty remarks in my day, I don’t consider myself a particularly funny lady. I have a great sense of humor, and I’m happy to be the brunt of a silly joke, but I won’t be the one delivering the punch line. With so many celebrity funny women out there these days (hello, Tina Fey!), it seems like women are finally getting the last laugh, so are you one of them?

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The How-To Lounge: Having More Fun

DearSugar — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:00:00 PDT

Whether we like to admit it, the stress and burden of daily life often gets in the way of having a little fun, and without fun, things can get boring and depressing. I’m a firm believer that happiness is the key to good health and a long life, so why not incorporate more fun into your life? To see my ideas on how to do just that,

Give into temptation! Well, not every time, but it’s OK to break your own rules every once in a while. Stay out too late, eat too many brownies, and sleep until noon!
Plan a night with old friends. Reminiscing about old times guarantees some serious laughter. If you’re feeling really brave, pull out your old yearbooks or photo albums.
Do something that's out of your comfort zone. Just a small change can get your endorphins running high. If you’re a homebody, make a plan to get out. And if you’re already pretty adventurous, try something totally new like kayaking or skateboarding.
Splurge on good tickets to see your favorite musician or comedian. There’s nothing like seeing a live performance.
Host a barbecue for your best friends - it's a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Most importantly, learn how to make even the smallest moments fun ones just by being open to a good laugh!

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Laughter: A Serious Stress Reducer

FitSugar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:45:00 PDT

I thought laughter was a great stress reducer, but it turns out that just thinking about laughter is enough. A new study found that anticipating laughter significantly lowers three stress hormones, including cortisol. Seeking out laughter is good for your overall health! Me? I find myself preparing to chuckle as I head over to GiggleSugar. If you are feeling stressed, maybe you should at least think about heading over there.

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Dear Poll: Are You a Nervous Laugher?

DearSugar — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 13:00:00 PST

I have a very loud laugh that some say is contagious, so I guess I should feel lucky that I'm not a nervous laugher. When I say nervous laughter, I mean someone that giggles when they're uncomfortable, sad, or even angry - like at a funeral or when they are put on the spot at work. So what category do you fall in? Are you a nervous laugher or do you save your giggles for something that's actually funny?

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Laughter Is Good For Your Veins

FitSugar — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 16:45:00 PDT

It is frequently said that laughter is the best medicine, but did you know it is good for your veins? Scientists at the University of Maryland have proven that laughter is linked to healthy function of blood vessels. Laughter creates increased blood flow by causing the inner lining of blood vessels to expand. The lining of blood vessels, called the endothelium in medical "speak," has many jobs to perform aside from regulating blood flow. The endothelium adjusts coagulation and blood thickening as well as secretes substances that respond to wounds, infections and irritations. This lining is also where atherosclerosis, the hardening of the arteries, begins and this hardening can lead to cardiovascular disease.

So laughter helps keep the blood flowing, as if you needed another reason to read GiggleSugar.

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Laughter: More Than the Best Medicine

FitSugar — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 03:00:00 PDT

We have all heard that laughter is the best medicine; well some Norwegian researchers think it might just be more than that. Folks that have a sense of humor, especially in the face of cancer, outlive those who don't find life funny. The study tracked 57,000 Norwegians for 7 years and the larger role humor played in participants' daily lives, the greater their chances for surviving. Check out this article at USA Today for more on this study.

Now another recent study, this one British, found laughter acts as a "social lubricant" and can thereby make folks more altruistic as a group. Participants were shown either serious or comic videos in groups and then asked to "invest" money. They could invest either "privately" with a guaranteed return or "communally" with all participants receiving an equal return, but with no guarantee that it would match the amount put into the investment. Yep, you guessed it - the participants that laughed with their investing partners, who they had never met before, were more likely to invest communally. Laughing together makes people feel like they are more connected. The researchers are postulating that laughter could have evolutionary significance in creating group bonding which increases the group's survival in stressful situations.

Well...laugh and the world laughs with you...and you might live longer...and you might invest your money more altruistically which would make you feel warm inside.

Now if you are looking for a laugh, a chuckle or a guffaw...check out my buddy GiggleSugar. I am sure she has something to help you live longer.

Pillow Talk: Laughing

DearSugar — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 08:00:00 PST

As we all know, maintaing a successful relationship takes work and dedication, but good, old-fashioned fun is a big part of the equation as well. A great many of my best and sweetest memories involve laughing with my partner. "Laughter is the best medicine" is an old adage, but research shows it isn't just a cliche after all.

To read more

According to Martie Haselton, associate professor of psychology at UCLA,

. . . the research is showing that humor is playing a surprising and important role in human relationships, perhaps as important as physical attraction.

Finding someone with a sense of humor is often an important quality in a potential partner, but Rod Martin, president of the International Society for Humor Studies, has found that while women want to find a partner who makes them laugh, men look for women who will laugh at their jokes, which makes attracting a partner a little harder for the funny ladies.

Turns out, laughter between couples can be a sign of trust, too.

Humor and laughter often communicate something much deeper than the appreciation of a joke. Robert Provine, author of "Laughter: A Scientific Investigation," said that 90 percent of the things we laugh at aren’t even remotely funny.

"Most laughter is not about jokes," he explained. "It's about relationships between people.” Laughing says more about how someone feels toward another person; it's an indicator of how much they like, trust or agree with that person, Provine said.

And while laughter can be helpful when resolving conflict, real problems can erupt if a partner doesn't know when to get serious! For some surprising information on the connection between laughter, courtship and love, click here.

As for laughter's medicinal qualities, this article from Natural Health reports significant findings about laughter's ability to help defend against infections.

Laughter boosts the activity of your immune system's natural killer cells and other defenses against infections, according to a 2001 study in Alternative Therapies in Health, and Medicine. It also appears to reduce the amount of hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol, that your body produces during times of stress. Repeated release of these hormones over time can weaken your immune system.

That link also includes 4 quick tips for lightening up, calming your body and mind, and preventing stress from taking over.

Let's laugh a little more, at ourselves and with each other, ladies. And what if GiggleSugar actually prevented a cold? How much laughter is there in your house? How about the house you grew up in?

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Laughter Yoga: It's No Joke

FitSugar — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 14:00:00 PST

Check out this new fitness fad. It's part traditional Yoga, part improv, and part just plain silliness. It's called Laughter Yoga.

The class begins with everyone walking down the street with their hands in the air laughing hysterically. After "warming up," they form a little circle and begin clapping and chanting. Then they have a group stretch session.

The 45 minutes of light Yoga poses are combined with improv-style exercises to get you to loosen up emotionally. Things like telling an imaginary joke in gibberish, or playing on an imaginary swing set, or pretending to be a seal on the beach.

They wind down by lying on their backs, murmuring nonsense words, chuckling spontaneously, and beating their chests.

Laughter Yoga goers admit to feeling self-conscious at first, but then they just got connected to their inner child, and didn't care.

Want to find out more? Check out the American School of Laughter Yoga website.

Fit's Tip: Need a little inspiration? Check out gigglesugar.com

Want to know which celebrity is way serious about Laughter Yoga? Then

Jeremy Piven of HBO's Entourage is into Laughter Yoga and has also been spotted at the Jivamukti studio. He explores his passion for Yoga in India on the Discovery Channel's show Journey of a Lifetime.