To Laughter!

"A good time to laugh is any time you can." - Linda Ellerbee

When was the last time you laughed out loud and really felt it? If you can't remember, then you are definitely long overdue for one. Most of us would agree that good laughter is great medicine for life, however, all too often, we get so caught up in dealing with our feelings, issues and problems of daily living that we forget to laugh.

We must remember to carry our laughter wherever we go and be ready to use it! Our entire being depends on it. A dose of laughter as part of everyday life promotes good health. Laugh, smile; it has a positive healing effect on your body. In fact, the catharsis of laughter can be as profoundly therapeutic as the catharsis of tears. An example of this was observed in a session with a client who said "If I can't cry, I'm going to laugh." In this instance, the client was choosing laughter as a viable coping mechanism to help ease mild anxiety and fear, relieve stress, maintain a positive outlook and build on her resilience, all of which I might add are some of the benefits of laughter. It should be emphasized that laughter as a tool can be used for bonding and strengthening connections or as a way to avoid and block change. In this particular case, the client used laughter in a healthy way to assist in moving forward with change and make the rest of the work feel more manageable.

As you can see, laughter is a powerful tool for general sense of well-being and healing. And yet, it is probably one of the most underrated and underused tools we have. I must admit, I am one to neglect its usefulness and am writing this piece as a reminder that laughter works wonders and is a remedy none of us should do without.

Laughter simply makes us feel good. In fact, even when we don't feel happy, we can still find reason to laugh and feel better. I've learned that even when times are difficult, laughter can be the best prescription. The ability to laugh at ourselves and see the humor in life either in what we're going through or despite it can help us get through difficult situations we couldn't possibly endure otherwise. Viktor Frankl, who survived a Nazi concentration camp and wrote the classic book, Man's Search for Meaning once said, "I never would have made it if I could not have laughed. It lifted me momentarily out of this horrible situation, just enough to make it livable." The body, mind and spirit needs laughter for healing; therefore, make it a survival kit essential.

The remarkable story of Norman Cousins also speaks to the incredible power of laughter. Cousins was the editor in chief for Saturday Review as well as a pioneer and strong advocate in linking laughter to healing. He became well known for his best-selling book, Anatomy of an illness: As Perceived by the Patient (1979). Cousins related his experience of curing himself from a debilitating, life-threatening disease through the use of laughter. He survived it, by watching old Marx Brothers movies and laughing uncontrollably. His conclusion was that the practice of laughter essentially was the key to his full recovery.

Although the medical community has been reserved about embracing and supporting laughter for health, there is a growing body of research that shows laughter affects our body chemistry in a good way. Studies have found that laughter can strengthen the immune system, relax muscles throughout the body, reduce pain by releasing endorphins (the body's natural pain killers), lowers stress hormones, and stabilize blood pressure. In addition, laughter relieves stress, improves mood, helps us feel connected to others, and attracts others to us.*

It's undeniable- good laughter is a win win common sense remedy! There's nothing like a deep-rooted hearty laugh to create a state of peace in the body. It is vital in lifting our spirits and helps put difficult moments in perspective by making them seem smaller.  My conclusion: laughter is cheap medicine with no bad side effect; can't beat that!

If you're like me, who has a tendency to take life too seriously, then the perfect prescription for us is LAUGHTER. Consider making it a top priority to laugh more. It will change you and those around you for the better.

Laugh and be well.



*Partially adapted from www.helpguide.org/articles/...health/laughter-is-the-best-medicine.htm