By Alex Berger
Experts agree that stress can have a negative impact on the body. They recommend everyone lighten up and have a good laugh — several, in fact. If you laugh less than 15 minutes a day, you are under-laughed.
The first example of human laughter began when Eve viewed Adam in the buff and roared with laughter.
A good laugh takes your mind off your troubles. It relaxes muscles; reduces levels of stress hormones; boosts the immune system; lowers blood pressure; reduces pain; fights cancer cells; improves circulation and respiratory functions; lessens fatigue, anger and depression; brightens your smile; and increases the size of your belly button.
Laughter is good exercise. It is like jogging on the inside.
Dictators and school teachers have tried to control it, fearing its contagious power to undermine authority. People cannot talk about it without cracking a smile.
To laugh is to be free from worry. He who does not worry lives longer. To live longer is to last. Hence, he who laughs lasts.
A researcher took an interest in studying laughter and observed folks for weeks shopping in malls and walking city streets, eavesdropping on their guffaws, titters, chuckles and snickers.
He came up with these conclusions: People are 30 times more likely to laugh in groups than alone (read my column aloud to 30 people) and women laugh more than men — except when listening to other women, then they clam up. (Now I know why Gloria laughs when I am with her and speechless when she listens to Rosie O'Donnell).
A merry heart does good like a medicine. — Yogi Berra
Yes, laughter is a necessary ingredient for a healthier life. Marriage counselors and health professionals see laughter as therapeutic. Many of them ask troubled married couples whether there is anything about their mates that makes them laugh. If the spouse begins to smile, reconciliation has begun.
This approach, including humor as part of emotional and physical healing, has been adopted by many hospitals, therapists, counselors and spiritual leaders and is one of the most effective medicines.
Laughter can add eight years to your life, so keep reading my column.
It is also a good way to stand back and look at ourselves. Sometimes we need to laugh at ourselves. There is the story of a man who was able to keep his humor and positive attitude amid trying circumstances. He told people that when he gets up, he has two choices: He can be sad or happy about his condition. He chooses to make his day happy.
Laughter takes us outside ourselves, so do not take yourself or your problems too seriously.
It is true that 100 laughs are equal to jogging a mile.
Surround yourself with humor. There is happiness to be found somewhere in a day. If you cannot bring that humor to a hospital room, home or office, keep it in your head. Nobody can take away your happiness but you.
Of course, laughing does not cure diseases or heal wounds, but it can change perspectives. With that, I want to leave you with an inspirational story I hope will keep you laughing all day:
A greeting-card proprietor had a bad day. It began when his alarm did not go off. When he tried to turn on the lamp, the bulb exploded. He pulled the cord out of the wall and the lamp fell over and broke. He tried to make himself breakfast when the doorbell rang: It was Girl Scouts selling cookies. By then, his coffee was cold and his eggs were burned. He gulped down a glass of juice, which turned out to be sour.
He was driving to his store in the rain when the car conked out and had to be towed. He looked at his automobile warranty and discovered that it had expired. He was forced to take a cab and a car sideswiped it.
He hit his head on the door handle, but finally made it to his store. A drenched box was waiting for him on the sidewalk outside his door. He dragged it in, opened it and pulled out a soggy card that read, “Wishing You a Happy Day.” He turned to a picture of his family, paused and laughed.
Readers, no one says you have to be or stay sad. Fill your heart with laughter.
Contact Alex Berger at news@timesledger.com.
