What do having fun and staying healthy have in common?

A lot more than you might think.

Laughing with friends, throwing a ball for the dog, watching your favorite TV show, or reading a book might be called “leisure activities,” but the health benefits associated with some good old fashioned fun are nothing short of incredible. So the next time you’re feeling guilty for skipping the gym in favor of a reading a good book, keep these 8 health benefits in mind:

1. Reduced Stress

Cortisol, known as the “stress hormone” or the “fight or flight hormone” spikes to unhealthy levels when we’re stressed. It’s intended to save our lives in a do-or-die situation; however, at low levels of stress (when there’s nothing to fight or flee) cortisol can cause weight gain and can even inhibit the body’s ability to fight off infection and heal itself. Having fun and taking the time to play reduces cortisol levels, which leads us to . . .

2. Sweet Serotonin

On the flip side, having fun increases serotonin levels. Serotonin is a chemical that regulates many of our most basic processes–including sleep patterns, memory, body temperature, and mood. Doing activities you enjoy that help you relax and connect with others naturally increases the body’s serotonin levels.

3. Improved Ability to Cope

Stress is inevitable–and not every waking moment can be spent having fun. However, taking time for leisure activities and play that make you feel great can help even when stressful situations do arise. Think of fun, stress-free activities as money in the bank. When stress, pain, or negative situations arise, you’ll be able to tap into reserves of calm, rather than finding yourself in the red.

4. Boosted Energy

Having fun and enjoying leisure activities can also help boost your energy levels. Stress and pain are both mentally and physically draining. Taking the time to relax, enjoy yourself, and spend time with others doing activities that make you feel like yourself can help you feel less tired, more mentally awake, and more capable.

5. Improved Memory and Concentration

The reduced cortisol levels and increased serotonin levels that come with having fun mean you’ll enjoy a clearer mind and better memory. We all know the feeling of running on autopilot or becoming forgetful when a particularly stressful situation is troubling us. The same phenomenon occurs on a lower-level when it comes to stress. Regularly taking the time to relax and play reduces low-grade stress levels and frees up mental energy.

6. Improved Connection with Others

Forming meaningful connections with others is one of the most significant health benefits of having fun. Taking time to enjoy activities and conversations with friends gives us a sense of connection, usefulness, and meaning that can be more powerful than any prescription. Brene Brown, a sociologist who specializes in human connection, says, “As psychologists from Maslow to Baumeister have repeatedly stressed, the truth of the matter is that a sense of social connection is one of our fundamental human needs.”

7. Sounder Sleep

Spending time laughing, playing, relaxing, or participating in enjoyable leisure activities can also help you sleep more soundly. Taking time to relax or doing something to make yourself smile right before bedtime is especially important, but any fun or relaxing activities during the day will reduce cortisol levels and improve how soundly you sleep. The American Psychological Association finds that people with lower stress levels are much more likely to report “very good” or “excellent” quality sleep (33% compared to 8%).

8. Positive Patterns

Just like healthy eating is most beneficial when done over a sustained period of time, the health benefits of having fun only improve with time. Making a habit of relaxing, engaging in activities you enjoy, and spending time with people who make you happy will yield sustained and increasingly positive benefits of consistently lower stress, positive feelings, better sleep, better coping abilities, and improved relationships.