| ||
| ||
|
Happiness Information | |
|
|
The Science of Laughter
The title I chose for this article makes me smile. The science of laughter? Laughter, one of the things we used to take for granted, is now the subject of scientific study. In some ways it's quite surprising what has been discovered, but in other ways, it's probably not surprising at all. After all, we know intuitively that it is good for us. While studying the effects of laughter, Dr. Lee Berk of Loma Linda University in California proved that laughter boosts the immune system. Dr. Robert Provine's book, Laughter - a Scientific Investigation, documents that even Chimps laugh, although with different stimuli. In his book, Anatomy of an Illness, Norman Cousins, a respected journalist, wrote about how he dealt with the diagnosis of ankolysing spondilitis, an arthritic condition that left him bedridden and in horrible pain. With his Physicians permission, Norman moved out of the hospital and into a motel. His idea was to remove himself from the pain and suffering of others and create a pleasant environment, where he watched funny movies sent to him by his friends in Hollywood. He made the happy discovery that ten minutes of belly laughter gave him 2 hours of pain free sleep. He recuperated and went on to live many more productive years. We know that laughter is one of the best ways to relieve stress, but it has many other benefits as well. It is, as Norman Cousins once said, likened to internal jogging for the inner organs. As an aerobic exercise it is very good for the heart and lungs. The word aerobic means "with oxygen", so laughing increases the amount of oxygen in the body and this in turn, is very good for the respiratory system. It can help to lower blood pressure; it increases endorphins (the body's natural morphine), serotonin levels increase and other important stress fighting chemicals are released as well. In fact, one study showed that serotonin, when put into a test tube with cancer cells, killed the cancer cells. It seems that laughter can help to heal our bodies. When I explain that, as a laughter therapist, I teach people how to laugh, I get many interesting responses. Since the body cannot differentiate between simulated and stimulated laughing, it may feel awkward at first to pretend to laugh. But with a willingness to step out of one's comfort zone, simulated laughter soon turns into genuine guffaaaaaws. People who are struggling with unresolved life issues may have a difficult time with this concept, but for those who can participate, it's truly a delightfully upbeat way to combat stress. I am fond of saying that "laughter begets laughter", and once you get used to that idea, you might be surprised at how much you can achieve by smiling and laughing your way through each day. It's a sad fact that, as children, we likely laughed 300 - 400 times a day, but now, as adults, we are lucky if we laugh 12 times a day. While in the 1930's it was estimated that people laughed approximately 16 - 18 minutes daily, it is estimated that now we are doing well if we manage to laugh for 6 minutes every day. Laughter is very good for us, feels good and is enjoyable as well. We don't need to go through each day with "terminal seriousness". Even for those of us who work in difficult environments, maintaining our sense of humour and being able to laugh at the challenges that face us daily, will help us to be happier people at the end of each day. A positive attitude will not only help us to feel better, plus have a beneficial effect on our general health, but it will have a wonderful spin-off effect on the people around us. Remember, "if you're happy, tell your face". Carole Fawcett is a Stress Management Consultant and Laughter Therapist as well as a freelance writer. She is passionate about her work and delights in sharing her knowledge in a deliciously fun and upbeat manner with any audience. To learn more about Carole, http://www.afunnybusiness.ca
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Gratefulness Gratefulness brings a great fullness to life. The choice to adopt and hold a moment-by-moment attitude of gratitude is the choice that differentiates those who suffer the slings and arrows of misfortune and those who are blessed with a joyous and abundant life. 10 Steps to Happily Ever After Do you know what all happy and healthy marriages have in common? In every one of them you will find two people committed to making each other happy. You will find a man who cherishes his wife and puts her needs above his own, and you will find a wife who respects and trusts her man. The Gift is in the Giving I have to be honest. I made the woman cashier at BIG! LOTS cry. Can Existential Therapy Give You a Sense of Wellbeing? My journey to becoming a therapist began with a desire to develop greater significance in my life and improve the quality of my relationships. Having worked as an organisational psychologist for many years, my work increasingly involved coaching senior managers in the art of managing their organisations. Smile How do we smile at each other? Is there a message communicated between us as we smile? Does it convey the depth of our feelings we have for each other? Take note of how our smiles deepen in feeling toward each other as our relationship grows and time passes. Note how our smiles reflect our joy as we pass time together without insignificant complaints. In Pursuit of Happiness In pursuit of happiness, what will we do as women? Whatever we possibly can. We want to do things for ourselves, but always put others before us. Impractical Magic Witchcraft is a messy, expensive, time-consuming, and inefficient way to achieve your aims. I know, because I've tried it . Quick Steps On Being Happier Want to be happier?Edward W. Smith, motivational speaker, author and TV show host, who specializes in quick tips on how to move your life ahead even faster, offers the following advice. Colors: How Do They Make You Feel? One of the most important colors in advertising is the color blue. Calm, comforting, soothing, and peaceful are all feelings evoked from this color. Choose To Integrate Body, Mind, & Soul Our bodies were made in such a way that everything is integrated. The mind appears to control everything. Happiness Is In Our Own Hands Other people can bring tremendous happiness to our lives but we cannot rely on them alone for happiness. Clinging to people because we think our happiness depends on them can have a disastrous effect on any relationship. About Happiness and Fulfillment During a FULFILLMENT seminar, at the University of Arizona for the Affiliated Women's Clubs, a charming and successful woman unintentionally made our point about success, satisfaction and happiness. Catherine Hendricks spoke about several major problems that are caused by living too secular a life-style in this period of swift, destabilizing and often disconcerting change. What Does It Take To Be Happy? What does it take to be happy? In our age of consumerism many will likely tell you that in order to be happy you have to keep up with the trends, or as they used to say in the 50's and 60's "you must keep up with the Jones's".I think it is clear that if this were a solution to your unhappiness you likely would not have been drawn to this article. Achievement and Happiness the 80/20 Way If there was ever a principle that was responsible for the most happiness and achievement in the world, it would be the 80/20 Principle.The 80/20 Principle or Pareto Principle was discovered in 1897 by an Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto while he was searching for patterns of wealth and income in England. What is Happiness and How to Achieve It? True happiness is such a rare commodity that the whole of the world is continuously seeking it and failing to find it. All the people, who we consider to be the best in their fields, are seeking it too and failing to acquire it. Happiness Is Truly M.A.G.I.C.A.L. (TM) The year is almost half over. Many of us are taking the time to reflect, to imagine new dreams and to revise our goals. Self-Worthiness Worthiness-word origin. Worth and worship both come from Old English weorth, worth value. Do You Still Have This Type of Dreams? Jesus says in Matthew 13:25"But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way"The greatest danger that we face in the spiritual world happens when we sleep.There are 40 kinds of "tares" i. Can You Really Let Go Of Your Huge Internal Struggle? When I was in graduate school for psychology, we had a fellow student by the name of Allan who was running a successful clinical practice and had joined our program to improve his credentials. He had a remarkable track record of successful case histories. 10 Ways to Bring Meaning to Your Life My life always appears to be so hectic. It's as if I purposely overload myself with more things than I could possibly ever accomplish.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
