By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills
Who doesn’t enjoy a good belly laugh? We’re told it’s great medicine and usually done best with others. That’s a party! When I learned March 19 is Let’s Laugh Day, I was on board for the celebration.
But before I planned my day of chuckles and giggles, I had a few questions:
Is laughter beneficial?
Why should we be laughing more?
What do the professionals say?
My first stop was the MayoClinic.
This site listed short term and long term benefits of laughter. The biggest benefit is to relieve stress! A daily dose also helps your immune system do a better job. Makes sense. How can we complain about life, aches, and pains while we’re laughing?
I practiced seeing if my mood improved, and it did!
My next stop was WebMD.
This site has an informative (and fun) article you may want to read. I valued what Steve Wilson, MA, CSP, a psychologist and laugh therapist said, “I believe that if people can get more laughter in their lives, they are a lot better off.”
For all of us exercise addicts, this caught my attention, ”10-15 minutes of laughter burns 50 calories.” I plan to incorporate more humor into my daily workout.
Other reputable sites claim laughter improves memory, blood flow, creativity, and can be an aid to controlling high blood pressure.
So where do we find those things to make us chuckle and giggle?
- Spend time with family and friends who can help you enjoy humor. My sister has always made me explode in laughter.
- Laugh at yourself. Getting through the speed bumps of life is easier with a smile.
- Select entertainment that tickles your funny bone—books, movies, articles, and spending time with kids and grandkids.
I read the debate that people who laugh more are healthier, or are healthier people more optimistic? Do people who laugh have more friends, or do those people attract others? I have no clue. But I do know that when I laugh, I feel really good.
What about you?
DiAnn’s Library Corner
Library Tip: We all love to laugh. How does your library encourage laughter?
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Comments 8
God created laughter. Isaac means laughter. When God visited and fulfilled His promise, Sarah said:” God has made me laugh.” Humans are the only ones who laugh. What a gift! This winter was an aggressive one in Ottawa, Canada, and we had to use cleats and other non-slip helps to stay on our feet. One day, the snow banks were up to my knees, and as I entered the bus, many had tracked enough snow to require shovelling.
The bus driver, who like myself was not blessed with height, just looked at me, and we laughed. Canadians struggled to stay on their feet. Winter intended to bring us down. But as we slipped and slid, it was with laughter.
Frances, you always fill me with inspiration. Thank you!
I am thinking of the ‘I Love to Laugh’ song in the original Mary Poppins movie. I truly thought it was silly, but I really enjoyed the infectious laughter in it. We do appreciate comedy movies, and our cat gives us new things to laugh about daily.
Janice, I agree, some things are silly but they make us laugh!
I love to laugh. I am thankful God has given me the ability to laugh at myself because I constantly have funny situations in my life. 🙂
Melissa, we have to laugh at ourselvs to get through the dumb stuff we do!
I love to laugh! As you know, Jann can keep you in stitches. I love lighthearted TV shows and movies and always gravitate to books that have some humor laced through them. My favorite genre, action suspense, doesn’t usually include a lot of that so I read some pure silliness every once in a while. Paul Mathews is great for that. And, going way back, Dorothy Sayers is fun too.
Thanks, Sherry, I have a sister who keeps me in stitches too. Not sure how they do it!