Yesterday was World Laughter Day, celebrated on the first Sunday of May, and I thought it was a good time to write about laughter.
Warning: If you have to be reminded of the need to laugh, you really need to read this post – and fast 😉
Why Have A Good Belly Laugh?
Why ever not? If you’re not a ‘believer’ here are some reasons why there’s nothing so good as a good laugh. Katherine Tapley-Milton, in her book, Devotions With Your Cat : For Those Who are Struggling
- Laughter boosts your immune system and so helps you to fight off illnesses. It increases the amount of immunoglobulins (antibodies), natural killer cells and T cells in the body, which fight infection and tumors.
- Laughing reduces pain. Children watching comedy films relax more and tolerate pain more easily. In fact, humorous videos are being used in anaesthetic rooms at Manchester Children’s Hospital. An American nurse has found that telling jokes to her patients before she administers a painful treatment reduces their discomfort.
- Laughing reduces allergic responses, including hay fever symptoms.
Laughing lifts your mood.
Laughing reduces the effect of stress by lowering stress hormone levels.
Laughing helps keeps diabetes under control. It may help to control spikes in blood sugar levels after a meal, reducing the chances of diabetic complications. In one study, people who watched a funny video during dinner had lower blood sugar levels after the meal compared to the people who watched a lecture video.
There ain’t much fun in medicine, but there’s a heck of a lot of medicine in fun. ~Josh Billings
What to laugh at?
If you ask this question, you need help, my friend, but I’ll answer anyway!
- Laugh at yourself in the mirror – what’s not to laugh at? 😉
- Laugh when someone tells you a joke (if it’s non-racist, non-sexist and not hurtful to anyone!)
- Laugh when you make a mistake – it will help you to feel better and to remember that mistakes are part of the whole scheme of something called ‘life’.
- Laugh with small children. Children delight in the fundamental things – like being tickled, watching animal antics and even the sight of another child’s bottom (how much more fundamental, can you get?).
- Laugh at situations that our out of your control. For example, you find yourself in public with your salwar worn inside out – I swear I went almost a whole day like that!
- Laugh when your ‘best-laid plans’ go awry. You turn up to catch a flight – like my husband did – an hour later than scheduled – he set his alarm for 4.45 am instead of 3.45 am!
- Friends can share a laugh together over the most mundane and silly things. Laugh – be silly – talk in a strange language – or chat with your friend using the worst grammar possible. I do this with my friends Aruna. We do so often now, that when we frame correct sentences – they seem wrong!
The word “silly” derives from the Greek “selig” meaning “blessed.” There is something sacred in being able to be silly. ~ Paul Pearsall in The Heart’s Code: Tapping the Wisdom and Power of Our Heart Energy
Treat yourself to a laugh:
- Watch a funny movie or a silly comedy show on TV.
- Read a funny book.
- Watch a stand up comedian – there’s plenty of stuff on YouTube.
- Meet or connect with people of a similar sense of humor – share funny stories, crack jokes, and enjoy. Stay in touch during the week by e-mailing each other the best Internet humor you can access.
- Finally, marry someone who’s crazy – you get laughs for free! José thinks I’m mad, but he tells me that’s precisely the reason he married me!
“If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane.” - Frost 'Click To TweetIf it weren’t for the brief respite we give the world with our foolishness, the world would see mass suicide in numbers that compare favorably with the death rate of lemmings. ~ Groucho Marx
Have a good belly laugh! That’s an order!
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Hi Corrine! Thank you for letting me know about world laughter day. I SHOULD have known but I’ve learned a long time ago to laugh at myself. May this wonderful start to a new month be just what the world needs for a happy and peaceful time on the planet. ~Kathy
Kathy recently posted..SMART Thoughts on Birthdays, Blogging and BFFs!
I didn’t know myself until yesterday, Kathy. Laughing at oneself is the best – I always have fresh material to laugh at! 😉
Corinne Rodrigues recently posted..What do Angels Look Like? #FridayReflections
Did I read it right? Does the word silly really have its roots in the word which means blessed? I think I did. I am relieved to feel blessed because I act silly quite often with son. This morning I was standing in the tree pose (learnt in yoga) to attract his attention 😀 I am sure I can be crazy when I know people around me love me. Otherwise I am a very serious person :I
Anamika Agnihotri recently posted..Vacation Stories #MondayMusings
Laughter definitely lifts the mood. We love watching the I Love Lucy episodes – guaranteed to make us laugh.
Suzy recently posted..Zooming Into The Soul #SOCS #FridayReflections
Hi Corinne! I love a good laugh. Watching a lovely comedy on tele is probably one of my favourite ways to do it. I used to really enjoy ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’, and still watch ‘Would I Lie To You?’. Both had/have me in fits of laughter. Bridesmaids was one movie that made me guffaw heaps! I used to read books from the vet series ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ and get some great laughs out of those when I was small. Even though I’m from Australia, it seems British humour is my favourite hands down! Linda. :)))
My Son and I laugh looking into the mirror making funny faces.
I think practicing laughter in groups is more a muscle exercise. When you see different funny laughing styles, you laugh too.
Once, I booked my flight for the date 1 month ahead of intended date. Now when I remember that, It makes me laugh narrating my story.
upasna recently posted..Tada ! I completed half century
OMG, I love to laugh, at all times. I’m from the family that can even find the humor that comes with a tragedy because that is what keeps us going.
Yes, yes and YES! I am such a believer in the power of laughter, starting with laughing at myself. Heaven knows, there’s a boatload of material as we get older, and it’s a damn sight more fun to laugh about it than get mad or sad. Thanks for all the scientific affirmation, too!
So true! Never underestimate the power of laughter. I’m a big believer in laugh at yourself and surround yourself with people who make you laugh. My husband makes me laugh all the time!
I couldn’t agree more about the power of laughter. Of course, I write a humor blog, so I have a bit of a vested interest (he sheepishly admitted). I couldn’t agree more, by the way, that jokes shouldn’t be racist, sexist or offensive. I have no time for humor that tries to tear people people down instead of lift them up.
Bun Karyudo recently posted..Mad Max Fury Road is a Masterpiece! Why Won’t Anyone Believe Me?
I’ve always been a firm believer in, “Laughter is the very best medicine!”
Carol Cassara recently posted..Cruising Portugal’s beautiful Douro River
Words to laugh by!
What to laugh at?
If you ask this question, you need help, my friend, but I’ll answer anyway!
They say laughter is the best medicine and your reasons tell why.
I laugh a lot. On silly things and most of the times, I can’t control myself. The jokes on WhatsApp, on tv and what not. I can even laugh when seeing others laugh 😛 That’s those laughter clubs look funny to me. Never sad!
What a happy post Corinne!
Parul Thakur recently posted..#MicroblogMondays – What should I cook tonight?
I am delighted to find out that Laughter is a health remedy. I have met people without seemingly a sense of humor. I always feel sorry for them! Luckily my husband makes me laugh all the time and I sometimes just crack myself up too!
Haralee recently posted..The Waning Sex Appeal of Home Ownership
I too find it sad that people just laugh without reason, for purpose of health, but not really feeling it from the core.. We always have belly laughs in our family almost daily.. something or the other happens, and my mothers ends up sitting on the floor laughing, with her face red and wiping her eyes.. yes she can’t seem to have a control over her tear ducts while laughing… 😀 😀
Your post gave me big smiles and brightened up my mind just thinking about all the ways I can laugh. I laugh the most with my son. My husband and I have funny moments but it’s majority serious – we work together – parent together – household together. We do need to lighten up.
I love it when I really REALLY laugh – my laugh is ridicoulous and it takes people by suprise who are used to the reserved me and then I make THEM laugh.
I love reading about all the things laughter is good for. I wish I had thought to write a post like this to promote my book 😉
Kenya G. Johnson recently posted..Coffee Break: Show & Tell
Oh I laugh all the time , Corinne when I’m around family and some close friends…I don’t know why but I find so many things funny…The best kind of laugh for me is when I can laugh at myself..Gives me a sense of security..Know what I mean? I guess it’s not so hard to laugh or even smile, just goes one to makes things easier…
Laughter clubs? Seriously? People forcing themselves to laugh? That is so incredibly….sad. There is nothing like a good belly laugh and, thankfully, I had one two nights ago. There is a nighttime comedian here in the States (he’s from South Africa, and I love his different point of view) who can really make me laugh, although he can get a bit edgy and serious, too.
Hi Cori,
I have so much to say about laughter! I would try to put it across in a few words. When I was a teenager and laughs and giggles were so spontaneous…one of my aunts would reprimand us saying…don’t laugh so loudly, laugh with grace, don’t open your mouth…etc. etc….you know how aunts are!!
I never paid any attention to her and always laughed loudly and still do. It is quite common in the parks to see yoga groups ending their session with loud laughter! It brings smile to the faces of many serious walkers 🙂 ‘Laughter – the best medicine,’ I have read that columns for ages! 🙂 Laughter is so therapeutic!
Thanks for the reminder.
Balroop Singh recently posted..Live Life Your Own Way
I think laughter like smile is infectious. It actually reduces stress.
Payal Agarwal recently posted..innocence
It truly is the best medicine. Thanks for the reminder.
I really needed to unwind with some happy reading and this post is the perfect one! How good one feels after a good laugh! I always feel it is harder to make someone laugh and easier to make them cry! I prefer reading humor, watching light-hearted movies and in general keep smiling! Currently watching back-to-back episodes of Sarabhai-Vs-Sarabhai 😉
Cheers
Laughter truly is the best medicine. It’s interesting sometimes how even smiling at yourself in the mirror can help lift your spirits that little extra
Sanch recently posted..Review: We Will Rock You in Sydney #WWRYAU
Now this is a post with substance! 😀 I too never understood the deal with laughter clubs and laughter yoga. I once attended one and found it to be the creepiest practise ever :p. It is so much easier to sit down and watch a comedy show, it would be more natural and effective (Psst, I’d reccommend American sitcom FRIENDS). And the wrong grammar talk…my sister does that all the time, and believe me she laughs like crazy more often than not.
Anyway, loved this Monday Musing (although I found it a bit later).
Dashy recently posted..When I found my Best Friend