Tomorrow is World Laughter Day. With all India is going through at the present moment, it seems almost sacrilegious to even consider laughter as an option. I only have to go through my Twitter feed to know of the trauma, the loss, and the sense of utter helplessness that people are going through. Yet, laughter is recommended – to keep our sanity – a pressure valve, to provide relief from the deep sorrow that has engulfed us. I’m not too keen on slapstick comedy and after a while all comedians wear thin, so I watch videos of funny animals to laugh. (100 words)
Some enlightened doctors, nurses and therapists have a prescription for helping all of us to get through this seemingly never-ending pandemic: Try a little laughter.
Humor is not just a distraction from the grim reality of the crisis, said Dr. Michael Miller, a cardiologist at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. It’s a winning strategy to stay healthy in the face of it.
“Heightened stress magnifies the risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes,” Dr. Miller said. “Having a good sense of humor is an excellent way to relieve stress and anxiety and bring back a sense of normalcy during these turbulent times.”
Laughter releases nitric oxide, a chemical that relaxes blood vessels, reduces blood pressure and decreases clotting, Dr. Miller said. An epidemiological study of older men and women in Japan confirmed that those who tend to laugh more have a lower risk of major cardiovascular illness. Possessing a healthy sense of humor is also associated with living longer, an epidemiological study from Norway reported, although the correlation appears to be stronger for women than for men.
Laughter May Be Effective Medicine for These Trying Times, NY Times
I’m glad that there’s a day dedicated to laughter – we often get so caught up with the mundane that we forget to take the time to laugh! 😉
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What a great thing to celebrate!! I think we could all use some laughter right now.
Oh yes, we sure need laughter and reminders that we are human, Michelle! 😉
Yes, laughter is the only thing that defeats the boggarts, out deepest fears.
Yes! I’m glad you spent time in celebration and laughter for your daughters’ birthday! You all needed this, I’m sure.
A few years ago, my husband had his aortic valve replaced with a TAVR – and during the pre-testing for that procedure, they discovered a nodule in his lung that was removed 10 days after his new valve. It was cancer – he had his lobe removed but the cancer was so small, he didn’t need further treatment. About five days later, he ended up in the hospital for a week with a massive infection. I cannot express what the silly moments of laughter during that very tenuous, “All is Well” journey did for our hearts, binding us even closer, adding a sweetness to hard memories. I think God knew, even in the hardest of hard – we need laughter!
Thank you for sharing this, Maryleigh. Sounds like a really scary experience. I’m glad it wasn’t as bad as it seemed at first. Laughter is such a release – such a gift too!
With so many news coming in from near and dear ones, I am often in my own sad world. However, my daughter who is turning 4 this month is my laughter therapy. Sometimes kids go out of their way to make parents happy, or at least to keep them away from anger or frustration. Laughter is in fact the best medicine.
Yes, it’s ever more important for parents to ensure that young children don’t get caught up in the sadness, anger and frustration. While they might sense how we feel, it’s up to parents to distract them and keep them happy.
I read about your little one’s birthday – such a sweet post!