Laughter is medicine

” Trouble knocked at the door, but hearing laughter, hurried away.”—Ben Franklin

On a TV show I was watching, one of the characters said “Laughter is the best medicine”, something we’ve all hopefully experienced. This reminded me of a sleepover at a friend’s when I was about 12. My friend had a dog I was allergic to and, unfortunately, I started experiencing some asthma.

Fortunately, we were watching Johnny Carson who did a skit impersonating Mister Rogers that got us both laughing hilariously. When we awoke the next morning, my breathing had improved by 75%. I’m convinced my belly laughs calmed my inflamed airways.

A 2008 study demonstrated that hyperinflation of the lungs in COPD patients was reduced by “laughter and clowning”. Laughter doesn’t only feel great, it brings other medicinal benefits including:

• Reduced heart attack risk and greater blood vessel dilation;
• Lower levels of stress and anxiety;
• Activation of the brain’s dopamine reward system;
• Increased endorphin and growth hormone production;
• Higher immune function and healthy cell activity.

To boost your daily dose of laughter, experts recommend reminiscing with friends, scheduling regular game nights, viewing more comedic TV, movies, and stand-up, and even smiling more. Beyond that, it’s important to take ourselves less seriously and reduce news consumption which, together, will open our hearts for more lightheartedness and funny bone stimulation.

Like many people, events in my life over the last couple of years brought a laughter deficit, but now I’m determined to build a surplus. As a fan of classic comedy acts like Laurel and Hardy and the Marx Brothers, I’ll be digging into these first. You can find some of these clips in my Youtropolis Amusement Park.

Do you have a great sense of humor, an infectious laugh that your friends love, or an ability to crack up easily and frequently? What activities and media do you love, and what “recipes” do you recommend for those who are hungry for big laughs?