Article By Stephanie Johnson

Sometimes, the world seems like an awful place. Everywhere, every day, this constant overload of tragedy and negative information can cause people a huge amount of stress and depression.  Of course it’s important to know what’s going on around you, to be educated about the world- but where do you draw the line?  When is it enough?

 

It all seems so terrible and complicated.  What if there was a simple way to safeguard you against this information overload, this constant attack of negativity?  There is.

 

Laughter.  Yes, it’s that simple, yet that profound.

 

Anna Swir described it best, in her poem The Sea and the Man:

 

You will not tame this sea either by humility or rapture.

 

But you can laugh in its face.

 

Laughter was invented by those who live briefly as a burst of laughter.

 

The eternal sea will never learn to laugh.

 

Several scientific studies have been conducted, and they found that:

 

Laughter Protects Your Heart

A study by cardiologists found that people who laughed regularly had fewer incidents of heart disease. They couldn’t quite explain why this was the case from a scientific standpoint, but the numbers were impressive enough for them to see a correlation. 

 

Laughter Reduces Stress and Makes You Happy

Laughter release endorphins, which make you feel happier and decrease your stress and cortisol levels.  The effect seems to last for up to 45 minutes after a good belly laugh!

 

Laughter Help You Be Sick Less Often

This is pretty intimately tied with the decrease in stress.  Less stress means your immune system gets a boost and your body in general has more resources to deal with whatever creeping crud you may be forced to come into contact with on a daily basis.

           

Laughter Gets You One Step Closer to Your Perfect Bod

A good, long belly laugh works your shoulders, diaphragm, and (depending on how hard you laugh) other various muscles in your torso.  Mix that up with some crunches and Pilates, and you’ll be well on your way to a firm six pack!

 

Laughter Makes You Friends

A shared laugh fosters a greater sense of intimacy.  As poetess Ella Wheeler wrote, “Laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep, and you weep alone.”  You certainly don’t want fair-weather friends who only stick around for the happy times, but it’s also important to be around people who are emotionally healthy and raise you up, not bring you down.  The world can be a negative place … so people need to take care of each other.  

 

You might say, all of that is well and good, but laughter is a spontaneous thing.  I can’t make myself laugh if I‘m not in the mood, no matter how good it might be for me.  That’s not necessarily true.  The benefits of laughter work regardless of whether your laughter is spontaneous or forced.  So in order to foster more laughter in your life, consider trying the following:

 

Be silly

My Mom once told me that, when she was a girl and she started feeling really bad, she would put her feet up on the wall, and stare at her toes. The act was so silly that it made her laugh. And laugh. Until her belly hurt and tears were streaming from her eyes. I thought, that’s ridiculous… but it’s so cute! And it really seemed to work for her.

 

So, do something you see as ridiculous. Draw a face on your hand. Make a sock puppet. Wear a clown wig and look in the mirror. Whatever works for you. Just stop taking yourself so seriously!

 

Get someone in on it

Does a friend or loved one make you roll? Bring them in on it. Whether it’s a joke they tell, or a silly thing they do that makes you guffaw, the comedian in them will love your undivided attention.

 

Identify what makes you laugh, and keep it around

What tickles your funny bone?  What specific brand of humor does it for you?  Is it pies and banana peels, or caustic wit?  Whatever it is, immerse yourself in it.  Get a personal library of it.  It’s well worth the investment, and gives you something to turn to when you’re feeling down and need a distraction.

 

So start laughing!  Not only to help yourself out, but to make the world around you just a little better and brighter.

 

“Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.”
-Victor Borge

 

“[Humanity] has unquestionably one really effective weapon—laughter. Power, money, persuasion, supplication, persecution—these can lift at a colossal humbug—push it a little—weaken it a little, century by century; but only laughter can blow it to rags and atoms at a blast. Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.”
-Mark Twain

 

“Laughter is an instant vacation.”
-Milton Berle

 

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