Laughter, Fun and Stress Relief

Did you know that laughter reduces blood pressure? Yes, it’s true. Laughing also increases your intake of oxygen and the endorphins in your brain that make you feel happy and well. According to the Mayo Clinic, laughing also reduces tension and stimulates circulation.

And those are just the short-term effects. The long-term health benefits of laughter are just as impressive and have been the subject of many studies.

 

Keeping things in perspective is a good place to start

If you’ve experienced more than your share of bumps in the road recently, you may be dismissing these interesting stats. And certainly, it is hard to laugh when you’ve faced devastating tragedies, lost someone close to you, or struggle with finances, catastrophes or chronic illnesses.

But consider that these experiences also sometimes make it easier to maintain perspective on what we think of as the daily hassles. They aren’t really all that dreadful, are they? So, your boss isn’t a master communicator, your son or daughter not a geometry wiz, the electricity bill is higher than expected, your neighbor is oblivious to the rules about mowing at 7 a.m. on a Saturday.  

Is it possible that if you were able to keep things in perspective and lighten up — maybe even see the humor in some of these hardships and challenges — you would feel less stressed?

It’s worth considering. Because each laugh releases tension, lowers anxiety, boosts circulation and the immune system and improves our mood. Laughter and fun also help us form tighter social connections, help combat insomnia or pain and have even been linked to better heart health.

 

Get more stress busting tips when you register for our live, virtual seminar: Coping With Workplace Stress.

 

Make laughter and fun part of your stress-control plan

Laughter is part of being human. You see it in all cultures and at every age.

Babies giggle when you make a funny face or surprise them. Young children are amused by another person’s mistakes at something they’ve already mastered. They crack up at silly jokes or puns. And as we push into adulthood, our sense of humor continues to evolve (unless you’re my husband, who’s still stuck in 7^th grade dad-joke humor).

Taking ourselves seriously is also part of being human. It’s built in. Our brains automatically give high value to our natural desires to be liked, to be treated fairly, or to succeed.

How do we reconcile these two automatic, human tendencies and enjoy life, lighten up and see the humor?

 

Let’s follow some guidance from the science of laughter, Gelotology.

1. Focus on reframing your desires from the life-or-death extremes such as “I must have this or else” or “I can’t possibly stand another day of being treated like this” to “I want …” By curbing the desperation, you’ll make room for happiness and enjoyment in the imperfect.
2. Begin to see and accept your own flaws. Your fallibility and imperfections shouldn’t make you feel bad about yourself, but rather make you feel unique and sometimes even funny. They’re what make you approachable and human, especially if you can see the humor and not take yourself so seriously.
3. Pay attention to the humor in life around you. Observe the stomping coach on the sidelines after a loss and smile at his or her seriousness at this game. Laugh along with the checkout clerk at her mistake in weighing your produce. You’ll both feel better.
4. Indulge in humor. Funny books, funny movies and funny TV shows are out there for you to enjoy. YouTube and the internet are filled with clever videos and memes. Comedy clubs and podcasts can have you in hysterics. Join in by videoing your young cousin, child or grandchild learning to hula hoop or your dog performing a crazy trick. As you start noticing funny moments or interaction, journal them for a later time when you need a laugh.
5. Listen to jokes. Appreciate the clever jokes people tell. Have a good laugh and share them.

 

What do you get when you cross a dyslexic, an insomniac and an agnostic?

Someone who lays awake at night wondering if there is a dog.

 

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