Why You Need to Laugh Today
Brighten Your Day, Boost Your Health
In an increasingly complicated world filled with people that are stressed, grieving, and anxious, I am writing about laughter. Not a chuckle or a smirk, a laugh, the noisy kind that pulls the corners of your mouth up into a smile.
I am not tone deaf to the issues people are facing. The feelings are real, and I respect them.
There is compelling research around laughter and aging. Earlier this year, UCLA Health’s article, Laugh it up! 5 Benefits of Laughter for Older Adults, highlighted the connection. Their five focus areas included boosting our immune system, decreasing stress, improving heart health, relieving pain, and supporting mental health. Their reporting explains how laughing impacts all of these areas.
https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/laugh-it-up-5-benefits-laughter-older-adults
We’ve heard the saying, “laughter is the best medicine.” It is widely attributed to Proverbs 17:22 in the Bible. Since then, Freud popularized the idea that laughter could minimize stress in times of crisis. In the 1970s, Reader’s Digest introduced its “Laughter is the Best Medicine” column, at a time when U.S. subscriptions surpassed 17 million. Editors later turned the column into a book, Laughter is the Best Medicine with their all-time favorites.
Without getting too deep in the scientific process, laughter triggers the release of endorphins (the body’s “feel-good” chemicals.) Endorphins promote feelings of happiness and well-being that counteract stress and anxiety. There is research confirming laughter also decreases cortisol “the stress hormone” levels. HelpGuide.org’s article, Laughter is the Best Medicine, explains “…a good hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes later.
Aging is no joke. I can’t sugar-coat the idea of having more years in our rearview mirror than on the road ahead. Although, how much joy and laughter we seek as we age is controllable. The American Medical Association’s article, Why Older Adults Benefit from Regular Doses of Humor, mentions “the social benefit of laughter is among its most effective health benefits.” Laughing watching a TV show or reading alone is better than not laughing. Although, laughing with friends, sharing a joke or fun memory also supports socializing and camaraderie. Loneliness is an epidemic.
“Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone.” by Ella Wheeler Wilcox from her poem “Solitude” published in 1883
In my quest to learn more about the impact of laughter on aging, a friend in her late 60s told me she is planning to try Laughter Yoga (who knew?). There are nearly 100 certified Laughter Yoga Certified Teachers across the U.S. and it is not just for older adults. Please let me know in the comments if you try Laughter Yoga.
Here is the link if you are interested in learning more: https://www.laughteryoga.org/find-ly-professionals/
Even when the world feels heavy, it’s okay to look for lighter moments. A little humor each day can go a long way—so don’t forget to seek laughter to lift your mood and well-being.
(Disclaimer: The information in this post is for informational purposes only. I am not a health care professional.)
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Greetings. When we laugh, we cannot think! Most of us can use a break from thoughts.
Check out the story of Norman Cousins. He treated himself for an 'incurable' disease with heavy doses of The Marx Brothers and Candid Camera. After being told he had a few months to live, the disease relented, and he survived another 26 years.
So agree! Laughing is good for the soul.