“A clown is like an aspirin, only he works twice as fast”
Groucho Marx
When I was a child there was always a Reader’s Digest around the house. One section of jokes, “laughter, the best medicine” always puzzled me. It didn’t make much sense and I never could make the connection between laughing and healing.
Many years later, an M.D. degree, and after treating thousands of patients, I think I now get it. Laughter can be a positive force in maintaining and re-gaining your health.
We all know that a good laugh reduces stress and also can serve as a distraction in our all too serious, often tragic modern world. It helps re-charge your inner battery. I have found that “happier” patients seem to do better with a variety of medical and surgical ailments.
Science also supports a good laugh. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic found that optimism is associated with both living longer and better general health. At Duke University, cheerful cardiac patients had better survival rates than those with sour grapes. At U.C. Irvine it was shown that even anticipating that something funny was about to happen resulted in lowering blood cortisol levels (stress hormone) and raised levels of the good guys, endorphins and growth hormones.
Laughter clearly benefits both the mind and body. Laughter has been shown to reduce stress levels, relieve pain, improve sleep patterns, lower blood pressure, and boost immunity. It might even lower the risk of certain cancers. Are you laughing yet? There is actually a medical group named “The Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor” and there will soon be a course on humor at one U.S. medical school.
There are many opportunities to find room for some humor in your life. It works best when shared and should never be at another’s expense. You can even join a laughter club at World Laughter Tour.
FitTip
Have a good laugh today. Catch a funny movie, a comedy act or just call a friend who knows how to find your funny bone.
Follow Dr. Nick!
