Laughter -
It's not only good medicine -
it IS a laughing matter!
by Beth Prins Leas
Wipe that smile off your face!
The odds are most of us were told that by a father or grandmother or first grade teacher.
As we are now mature(?) adults, I'm going to request that you go back and find that wiped-off smile and stick it right back on your face. Why? Because it's good for you!
That's right. Humor and laughter are good for your health. Obviously, disease and illness in themselves are of of course not funny, but how you approach them and what you choose to do with them can be loaded with mirth.
We're repeatedly told that medicine and health are serious issues. Indeed they are. That is all the more reason why we need to lighten up, smile and prescribe ourselves a healthy does of humor.
Because it's true. Laughter is good medicine for the body, mind and spirit and the evidence is out there.
"He who laughs, lasts." Ancient Norwegian Proverb
The knowledge that laughter and humor can be powerful therapy for good physical and emotional health is not new. The root of the word humor is from the Latin word 'umor', meaning liquid or fluid. In the Middle Ages, humor referred to an energy that was believed to determine health. ("He is in good humor.") The word 'heal' comes from the word 'healen' which means 'to make whole.'
So how do humor and laughter actually benefit our health? Humor is a perception while laughter is a behavioral response. Thought and action. Together they make a great team.
Some exciting research over the last several years has focused specifically on neuroendocrinology, exploring the connection between the nervous system, the endocrine system and the immune system.
Stress causes the adrenal glands to release corticosteroids, which convert to cortisol, which in turn works on repressing your immune system. Those same stress hormones restrict blood flow, contribute to muscle tension, respiratory irregularities and digestive problems.
So here are some tools we all possess - our buddies laughter and
humor. And the effects? Something to be happy about for sure!
Dr. Lee Berk and Dr. Stanley Tam of Loma Linda University in California studied the effects of laughter on the immune system. Stanford University researchers discovered similar results, as did researchers from Harvard Medical School, Ohio State University and Duke University, who actively and regularly incorporate humor and laughter with both patients and staff. The results?
Here are some of their findings:
- T-cells are increased, allowing you to combat infection better. The nervous system and endocrine system are directly related to the immune system - so they all benefit. Continued humor usage contributed to a strengthened immune system and helps fight off future illnesses.
- Lowering of blood pressure.
- Decrease in sed rate, indicating a reversal of the inflammatory process.
- Pain reduction in muscles. Laughter exercises the muscles in the diaphragm, abdomen, respiratory system, face, arms and back. Think of it as a mini-aerobic session.
- Good for the digestive system. Perhaps it's best to play out the reversal of that. Think about how your stomach and intestines react when you're stressed, nervous or angry. Enough said.
- Increases energy.
- Reduces the need for prescription drugs, especially anti-depressants.
- Reduces anger and anxiety. You feel empowered, more in control of your emotions. It 'lightens' the environment around you and increases the productivity. Helpful in the workplace and at home.
- Improves self-esteem dramatically and promotes a more positive outlook.
- Enhances the ability to learn and retain that learning. Good news for everyone.
- Allows for a more restful sleep and a brighter outlook upon awakening.
- Frequent laughter has a cleansing effect on the body, similar to deep breathing.
- Laughter and humor are social characters. They like to be shared and are wonderfully addictive and contagious.
One needn't be a clown or tell jokes to reap the benefits. I do neither, yet know that not one day passes in which I don't laugh or find something humorous about my family, my work, myself or my life. What makes you laugh or what you find humorous varies from person to person. The options are limitless.
As Br'er Rabbit declared: "Everybody's got a laughin' place. Trouble is, most folks won't take the time to look for it."
I encourage you to take the time. You'll find laughter and humor to be wonderful allies. You'll notice changes in your physical health and a sense of optimism and hope will move right in. You'll discover that life's best medicine begins with a smile.
Blessings on your path -
Beth