Laughing All the Way, Ha Ha Ha!

Whether you're riding in a one-horse sleigh, sledding, caroling, bakingcookies or chillin' with family and friends, the holidays brim withopportunities for lots of laughter.

What's all that joviality doing to your brain?

Laughing stimulates a part of your brain called the nucleus accumbens,which then releases the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine. This createsa brain-chemical chain reaction that elevates your mood, makes you feelconnected to those around you, reduces stress & pain, and even boostsyour immunity!

Here are some other interesting things you may not know about laughter:

• When you laugh, you use 15 different facial muscles
• The average grown up laughs approximately 17 times every day
• We are 30 times more likely to laugh when we're with other people thanwhen we are by ourselves
• Laughing causes the inner lining of blood vessels to relax and expand,increasing blood flow to your entire body.

Finally, a good belly laugh burns 3.5 calories. Which is a good thing toremember as we're eating all those holiday goodies.