Laugh for the Health of It!

An elderly couple was lying in bed one night.  The husband was falling asleep but the wife was in a romantic mood and wanted to talk. "You used to hold my hand when we were courting," she said quietly. Wearily he reached across the bed and held her hand for a second, still trying to fall asleep. A few moments later she said, "You used to kiss me more often when we were younger." Mildly irritated, he reached across, gave her a peck on the cheek and settled down to sleep. Thirty seconds later she said, "Then you used to bite my neck." Angrily, he threw back the covers and got out of bed. "Where are you going?" she asked. "To get my teeth!" he replied.

What is Laughter?

Aside from being extremely fun and sometimes pleasantly overwhelming, laughter can provide many physical, emotional, psychological and social benefits.  Laughter is a spontaneous, physiological reaction to something that we have found funny and triggers the brain to set in motion a multitude of chemical and physical reactions which positively impact the body and mind. Laughter is said to be highly ranked, along with the need for love and belonging.

This phenomenon called laughter, unique to human beings, sets off a very complex chain reaction.  It is in fact a universal language recognized across all cultures and races.

Laughter is a natural instinct that we are all born with; however, we seem to lose a little of it as we age.  The average child laughs approximately 500 times per day. Did you know that the average adult laughs only about 15 times per day? One survey indicated that as many as 60% of Canadians describe themselves as depressed, and that as many people suffer from depression as from other chronic diseases, including heart, diabetes and thyroid conditions.

We were all young once and used to be carefree, so why is it that adults laugh so much less than children? "I would suggest that as we grow up, social pressures force us to accept Belief Systems, what I like to call BS, that limit the appropriateness of laughter," explains Irene Martin, Registered Nurse and founder of the first humour room to be established in a Canadian hospital setting. "For example, we grow up hearing things like 'It's not polite to laugh out loud' or 'If you laugh too much people won’t take you seriously.' As we accept these belief systems, barriers to our use of laughter are created." 

Mrs. Martin, founder of Retire-At-Home Services, a home health care company that services seniors across Canada, has been conducting presentations on the healing benefits of laughter for more than 10 years. As a nurse with a great sense of humour, she tells people to "laugh for the health of it!" 

We know, of course, that laughter is naturally fun, but it is now widely recognized that it carries substantial health benefits as well. Studies have shown that laughter can actually decrease pain, stress and depression—it is like nature's antidote for negative emotions. For instance, it is impossible to feel angry, sad, or depressed while you are laughing.  

When you laugh, all your body systems are affected in a positive manner. Since laughing burns calories and decreases stress hormones for up to 24 hours, "laugherobics" is a great way to help improve your overall wellbeing.

Physiological Benefits of Laughter

In your cardiovascular system, blood flow is increased; blood pressure and heart rate are lowered, which can help to decrease the incidence of heart attack and stroke. Your muscular-skeletal system is stimulated, exercising your diaphragm, abdominal, leg and back muscles. With as many as 187 muscles being stimulated in your face, during a hearty laugh you are actually giving yourself a free facelift! Laughing can leave you exhausted initially, but then boosts energy just as in a workout.

As you breathe deeply during a hearty laugh, saturating your lungs with oxygenated blood, you may cough, sputter or spit. This really loosens things up in your respiratory system and gives it a good cleaning. Laughter brings balance to all components of the immune system, giving you protection against tumours, viruses and disease-producing antibodies, as well as reducing hormones which are associated with stress. It is documented that the thymus gland shrinks when you are depressed, lonely or when you are under stress. Laughter stimulates this wonder gland to produce the T-cells, B-cells and gamma interferon which are such an important part of the body’s defence mechanism.

Neurological Benefits of Laughter

From a neurological perspective, laughing causes your body to release endorphins, which alter your brain's perception of pain, helping you to cope better. Norman Cousins, a well known writer, discovered that five minutes of laughter is equal to two hours of pain relief. Groucho Marx of the Marx Brothers very appropriately said that "a clown is like an aspirin only he works twice as fast." Because laughing creates activity in five parts of the brain, laughter may be helpful in stroke rehabilitation.  And it has also been known to be a cure for insomnia.

Laughing releases enzymes that aid your digestive system. It massages internal organs, specifically the liver, and can decrease cholesterol. It stimulates the bowel, thus helping to relieve constipation.

Psychological Benefits of Laughter

Psychologically, laughing is cathartic, helping you release emotions in a harmless way, and is a great remedy for emotional constipation by stimulating emotional movements.   

Being a great neutralizer, laughter can dissipate frustrations and help you reframe a situation, thus fostering a more positive outlook. In times of difficulty, laughter counteracts negative feelings of anger, frustration, or helplessness. It is shown that it actually breaks the pain cycle, gives comfort, restores energy, and can give you hope to keep fighting if you are battling an illness or depression. Laugher can be a great coping mechanism or temporary escape. 

Psycho-Social Benefits of Laughter

In addition, there are many psycho-social benefits of laughter. "Laughter is often the shortest distance between two people," states Mrs. Martin. "Laughing together increases the level of trust and comfort that you feel with that person and it creates a feeling of closeness, bridging gaps and fostering a sense of equality. The more laughter is shared with another human being, the closer the bond. That is why we encourage laughter in health care: it creates a great bond between the patient and caregiver and can help remove the sense of pain at the same time."

As human beings, we all face pain in our lives. This may come in the form of physical or psychological illness, financial or family problems. When a problem is acute, it can take over our lives and bring us down emotionally, leaving us with no energy or hope. Laughter is an excellent way to reduce that pain, helping us to look at the brighter side of our situations. It doesn't make pain go away; however, it does back it up a bit so that we can get a better perspective on life.  So go ahead and laugh for the health of it!

June 22nd is Laughter Day—spread some good humour in your workplace and with those that could use its healing powers.

About the Author. Irene Martin is a registered nurse, with more than 40 years of hands-on experience in the health care field.  She has built a strong reputation for her commitment to quality of life and her involvement in volunteer organizations that serve the elderly. In 1994, she founded Retire-At-Home Services, a successful, nationally accredited home health care company that has served thousands of seniors in several Canadian markets. She has won numerous awards for business leadership, business ethics and service excellence.

Earlier in her career, during her tenure as administrator of the Cancer Lodges for the Ottawa area, Irene founded the first humour room to be established in a Canadian hospital setting. Strong in her belief that laughter and good fun are important in the healing process, she conducts regular lectures on the benefits of laughter. She is the founder and promoter of Laughter Day, which is celebrated each year on June 21. (In 2009, Laughter Day is celebrated on June 22.)

Just for Fun…

"Laugh for the Health of It" Word Scramble It's no joke—laughter is good for our mind, body and spirit! This month's puzzle contains 8 scrambled words all having to do with the many health benefits of laughter! Click here to download and print your copy.