The old adage is that laughter is the best medicine – and science is now backing up the anecdotal evidence in many ways. Before we even get into the medicinal benefits of laughing and staying in good spirits, let’s try an experiment. Where you are right now, wherever you sit – try smiling. A smile will immediately make you feel better emotionally, can ease muscle tension, and release endorphins. We start reacting emotionally to smiles at only two months old, and throughout our lives, the connection continues.
After smiling, try laughing more often! Even if you laugh by yourself, laughter can immediately make lift your spirits. In fact, science has shown us that when we laugh, it is nearly impossible to continue to feel sad or angry. This is why people often use humor to diffuse a difficult situation or to lighten a mood. You will start feeling better because laughter actually improves your health.
Stress is one of the most damaging influences on our physical and mental health. The effect of stress on our body can cause reduced immunity, heart disease, and even physical pain. Laughter, however, can have the following positive effects:
- Laughter results in reduced stress hormones such as cortisol, which can increase heart rate and blood pressure, and epinephrine.
- Laughing elevates the amount of antibody-producing cells, resulting in a more robust immune system, especially important in the current health environment.
- Laughter releases endorphins that have been shown to alleviate some types of physical pain.
- Laughing may actually help in the fight against heart disease. A study completed two decades ago reported that individuals with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh and have a good sense of humor about life in general.
- Many researched have discovered that laughing can be a positive and effective way to overcome sadness, disappointment, and anger. Freud’s work showed that laughter releases tension, while Nietzsche postulated that laughter overcame loneliness and a fear of mortality.
Of course, people who love to laugh often meet up with like-minded people. Friends tend to group together based upon interests and personality, and having people close to you who love to laugh as much as you do will keep the giggling going.
But people are taking it a step further, and laughing clubs are actually forming all over the country. If you live in assisted living, you can start your own laughter club – screen comedic movies, tell each other jokes, or simply tell silly stories to inspire laughter and smiles. Participants of such gatherings report feeling healthier, happier, and even more fit!
Laughing can also play a role in our daily interactions. Smiling and laughing rather than feeling sad will make you more attractive to others, and they will want to be around you. So when you are in a social situation in your assisted living facility, smile big and laugh without shame. Laughter is contagious, and joy is infectious – you may be surprised at how easy it is to meet people and how much more fun you will have on a daily basis.
A Banyan Residence is a Venice, Florida assisted living and memory care center . We are dedicated to every aspect of our resident’s safety and wellbeing, and strive to provide a full and engaging lifestyle.
