I thought it presented a good time to remind you of the health benefits of humor and laughter.
National Humor Month was founded in 1976 by best selling humorist Larry Wilde, Director of the Carmel Institute of Humor. According to Mr. Wilde, it is designed to "heighten public awareness on how the joy and therapeutic value of laughter can improve health, boost morale, increase communication skills and enrich the quality of one’s life."
In 1979, in his book Anatomy of an Illness, author Norman Cousins told how he used the positive emotions of faith, hope, laughter, and joy to counteract the effects of a stressful lifestyle that he believed had led to his connective tissue illness. He viewed humorous films several times each day to create opportunities for laughter and subsequently recovered from ankylosing spondylitis. His experience and book aroused the curiosity of the medical community and the idea of laughing and the use of humor as a tool to lift ailing spirits has been growing ever since. Scientific research now supports what many of us have suspected all along: that humor and laughter are good for you. William Fry, PhD, of Stanford University, one of the leading researchers in the field of humor physiology, states that humor and laughter have impact on most of the major body systems.
While Mr. Cousins was laughing at his funny films, what was going on in his body? First, during his laughter, his heart is exercised by an increased heart rate and blood pressure that is followed by a relaxation phase. This results in improved circulation. "The old saying that laughter is the best medicine appears to be true when protecting your heart," says Michael Miller, director of the Center of Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Research there found that people with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh in humorous situations than those with healthy hearts. Second, in his gastrointestinal system, the muscles involved in the act of laughing massages internal organs resulting in improved digestion. Finally, in his respiratory system, laughter improves both the intake and output of air. Mr. Cousins doesn’t experience muscle tension when he laughs; his muscles are stimulated and then become relaxed. Dr Fry likens the effect of laughter to physical exercise; and although laughing may not compare episode to episode to marathon running or swimming, it is easy, provides immediate results, and doesn’t require a special time block or equipment, talent, skill, or license! In addition, it’s fun, fat-free, and doesn’t require batteries!
In fact, scientific research now indicates that the curative power of laughter and its ability to relieve debilitating stress and "burnout" may be one of the great medical discoveries of our time. Dr Fry believes "humor is both a contributor and manifestation of our mental health. It reflects a positive orientation to life and a sense of well being." Humor can help us deal with stress. His research has shown that serum cortisol, dopec, and epinephrine levels were all decreased after laughter. Cortisol levels are known to be increased with stress and this suppresses the immune system’s ability to respond and protect us. But, his research has also shown increased levels of circulating antibodies up to 36 hours after laughter. This would indicate that laughter may enhance our bodies' ability to protect us.
So, with all these benefits, why not use this month to begin improving your health with humor. Karyn Buxman, MSN, notes in her article, Humor as A Cost Effective Means of Stress Management, that whatever forms of humor are chosen, it’s important to practice them on a regular basis. She admits that accidental humor has many benefits but there are too many benefits to let humor happen strictly by chance. Research has shown that you gain more by actively participating in humor rather than being a passive observer. So, how about making “humor breaks” part of your daily routine. Here are some of her suggestions to help put humor to work for you:
Make a list of things that are fun for you and do at least one daily.
Wear a funny button, pin or piece of clothing.
Send a humorous card to someone; it’s even better if it’s not for a special occasion.
Sing silly songs.
Keep a humor file of funny jokes, limericks, etc., and refer to it daily
Start your day with 20 seconds of laughter (fake it till you make it).
Share your most embarrassing moment, and have a good laugh - at yourself – being able to laugh at yourself keeps you from taking yourself too seriously and makes dealing with others easier.
As the Bible notes, a “cheery heart is good medicine” and recent research is proving it. Begin improving your health today –start laughing!
Peace and joy, Bonnie