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Smile intentionally. Laugh if you can. A sense of humor is good for our mood and our health.

“Laughter relieves stress and improves our immune system. Laughing has been described as an internal jog; massaging our inner organs and giving them a workout. Smiling exercises 14 facial muscles. When we laugh, our blood pressure goes up and then comes down. We also stretch our lungs, relax our chests, and breathe easier. Laughter causes our bodies to release neurochemical compounds associated with an improved mood,” says Dr. Daniel H. Johnston, PhD from Macon, Georgia.

According to Dr. Johnston, when we can laugh at something, we change our perspective and our attitude. It is hard to have a grumpy outlook when laughing. As we laugh, we momentarily distract ourselves from our problems and, perhaps, even from our physical discomfort. Life just seems to get better when we can laugh.

Research has found that four-year-old children smile and laugh about 400 times a day while adults' smiles and laughter decrease to only 14 times a day. Four-year-olds are often joyous, and adults are not. What happens between childhood and adulthood? What is the difference? Maybe, as we become serious, hard-working adults, we lose our sense of humor along with the freedom to laugh. Such a loss is unfortunate because humor can be healing.

Now you may say that you don't have much to laugh about, and this may be true. It is hard to force yourself to laugh, especially, when you don't feel like it. You can, however, at least, make yourself smile.