By Laura Bridges, behavioral health officer
Laughter really is the best medicine!
Many of us have heard the phrase “Laughter is the best medicine.” For me, this statement has rung true throughout my life, and even more so these days as we continue to live through this pandemic. Whether it be sharing a joke with my husband, watching a favorite movie that cracks me up, or hanging out with my girlfriends and finding something so funny we all laugh to the point of having tears in our eyes, I find laughing to be a cornerstone for maintaining my own emotional wellness. I notice that finding humor in my day and sharing in laughter with friends and others in my life brings me joy and routinely makes me feel better. Laughter helps me to: feel connected to others, can brighten my mood, relieve my stress in the moment; and it turns out, it can benefit my health.
Wikipedia defines laughter as: “a physical reaction in humans consisting usually of rhythmical, often audible contractions of the diaphragm and other parts of the respiratory system resulting most commonly in forms of hee-hee or ha-ha.” This simple act of laughing is something we can all do easily, it’s free, it makes us feel better, and studies have identified ways it can improve our emotional and physical health.
Benefits of Laughter:
- It helps decrease our stress levels by decreasing hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine. This helps reduce tension in our bodies and improves our mood.
- Laughter increases endorphins in our brain—the naturally occurring feel good hormones. This can promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
- Laughing boosts our immune system by decreasing stress hormones and increasing immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies.
- Laughter helps dissolve or reduce distressing emotions.
- Laughing with friends offers us an opportunity for connection with others, and it can help us keep things in perspective by not taking ourselves or life too seriously at times.
So how do we inject more laughter into our day-to-day lives?
- Smile! Smiling is the first step to laughter.
- Know your own sense of humor and look for humor in your life—whether it is reading a funny joke, watching a video that makes you laugh, or watching your favorite comedy TV show.
- Bring humor into your daily conversations. Ask someone about the funniest thing that happened to them today or share your own funny moment and laugh with them about it.
- Spend time with people who are playful.
- Keep a journal of books, movies, or videos that make you laugh. Pull it out and pick one to watch or read when you are feeling down.
I think Maya Angelou captured the sentiment perfectly in her statement, “Laugh as much as possible, always laugh. It’s the sweetest thing one can do for oneself and one’s fellow human beings.” So, take some time to find a way to bring some laughter to your life and to the lives of those you love!
Tip: Plan something this week that you know will bring you joy and laughter. Plan to watch a funny movie, read a good book that makes you laugh, or spend time with a friend of family member who always makes you smile.