11 Apr Laugher Really Is The Best Medicine
Laughter Really Is The Best Medicine:
A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.
~Irish Proverb
Amen to the Irish proverb! Next to sleep, laughter really is the best medicine, for when we’re laughing it’s physical proof that we can feel joy no matter what. Laughter is infectious and contagious; it makes us feel better the more infected we get.
The physical benefits of laughter are proven; it literally works like medicine—boosting immunity, lowering stress, and increasing blood flow that can prevent heart disease, decrease pain, and help muscles relax¹. Laughing releases endorphins, the feel-good chemicals most often associated with exercise. It also has positive effects on mood and thinking and is associated with lower rates of depression, fear, and anxiety. Laughter is a wonderful coping tool, for it infuses life with hope and zest.
Laughter makes our relationships stronger too. We all love people who make us laugh. In friendships and intimate relationships, laughter puts us at ease; it lets everyone know we’re not taking the situation or ourselves too seriously. A few years back, I attended a seminar by John Gottman, well-known author and relationship expert who for years has studied what makes marriage work. In this seminar he showed footage of couples discussing a difficult topic, one on which they did not see eye-to-eye. The first couple couldn’t hide their disdain for one another as their discussion turned to a full-blown fight. The second couple, however, was delightful. Even though they didn’t agree, they were playful, teasing, and laughing. What Gottman had found is that couples who make these “bids” for connection, who know how to lighten up in the hardest times, are the couples who last. I still keep those videos in mind when I’m trying to “discuss” things with my husband, OJ; when we’re able to work in a joke or a laugh, I know we’re doing just fine.
Nowhere is laughter more needed than in parenting. Though the “job” of parenting is demanding and often grueling, we can choose to look for, and even create, laughter. A few years back I decided to try doing a deep belly laugh in the times when I felt really overwhelmed; I still do it. I’ll either call or go find OJ, then I’ll say, “Huh, huh, huh,” (like “Ho, Ho, Ho) which he knows means, “I’m about to lose it!” Almost always that “fake” laugh turns into real laughter as OJ joins in and we can’t help but bust up at how ridiculous we sound! It’s become a valuable tool, for we end up bonding over just how crazy parenting can be instead of going crazy ourselves!
Laughing with our children teaches them not to get worked up about the littler things in life, and it makes for more fun all around. I keep a journal of the cute, clever, and humorous things my kids say and do which we go through often for a good laugh. The other day we read about the time when my sneaky then-four year-old, Colton’s, preschool teacher called and said, “I have your wallet here.” I ran to my purse and found my wallet sitting right where it should be. “It must be a fake wallet Colton plays with because I have my wallet right here,” I replied. “Well, I have your driver’s license and your credit cards,” she countered. I looked inside my wallet—empty. Colton had robbed me blind! I was just grateful he had an honest teacher! Or when Kennedy was five and we were all enjoying an afternoon at the pool when someone found a wet, dead rat lying on the ground. Everyone was, understandably, grossed out, but it wasn’t until the ride home that Kennedy said, “I got the rat today.” “What?” I questioned. “I got a rat.” She then explained how she’d found a dead rat in the drain of the baby pool when she was looking for a toy, so she just took it out. “How?” I asked, cringing. “By its tail,” she shrugged. This from the girl who screams at the sight of a fly!
Sometimes laughter is all you’ve got. As Bill Cosby said, “Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it”². It is in the most difficult times of life that we most need a sense of humor. Whereas laughter keeps us smiling and healthy, “humor helps [us] keep a positive, optimistic outlook through difficult situations, disappointments, and loss”.¹ Seeing the humor can diffuse potentially stressful situations and ensure we don’t get lost in loss.
Yes, humor and laughter are wonderful tools for warming the heart, generating hope, and reminding us that everything really is ok. If we can laugh, or even smile, through disappointment and disheartening moments, then we are well on our way to a sunnier life. As a wise man once said, “A sense of humor…is needed armor. Joy in one’s heart and some laughter on one’s lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life”³. I couldn’t agree more.
What are your tips for finding the humor and laughter in life? Share some of your “laughable” moments and brighten our day by leaving a comment!
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[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://www.drchristinahibbert.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/square-head-shot1.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Clinical Psychologist, Mom of 6, Postpartum Couples DVD Producer, Non-Profit Founder, and expert on Parenting, Women’s Emotions, Pregnancy & Postpartum, and Grief & Loss, Dr. Christina Hibbert loves songwriting, learning, and teaching what she learns. She really loves to laugh and is working on putting more “funny” into her life![/author_info] [/author]
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Works Cited:
¹ Smith, M., Kemp, G., and Segal, J. (2010). Laughter is the Best Medicine: The Health Benefits of Humor and Laughter. Helpguide website. Retrieved February 16, 2012, from http://helpguide.org.
²Bill Cosby, thinkexist.com
³Hugh Sidney, retrieved Feb 17, 2012, from thinkexist.com
[…] Laugh. If you don’t laugh enough, look for ways to get laughing! Work on lightening up, having fun, and letting a little humor into your life. Deep belly laughs are a sure sign of health and vibrancy. […]