Humour, Laughter and Other Necessities of Life

In most cultures, including North America, humour and laughter are perceived as trivial side-effects of being human - fun but hardly essential. Everyone proclaims the importance of a "sense of humour", but few of us live as though we believe it. As you can tell from the title, I believe humour and laughter are actually necessities of life, essential for wellbeing, health, and even job-performance, and there is a large and growing base of scientific research to back me up. That's right! Research on humour, involving real behavioural scientists, is ongoing in respected universities worldwide. And although Psychology leads the way, there's plenty of evidence coming out of other disciplines as well.

Evidence

- Anthropologists note that laughter is a hallmark of human existence in every corner of the world, and probably has survival value for our species.

- Psychologists suggest that one reason for laughter's importance probably involves stress. Years of research have documented serious impacts of stress on human performance, health and behaviour. Countless stress fighters have been studied, from therapy to Yoga to exercise, but the natural, effective way to control stress appears to be laughter. In fact, physiologically laughter mimics exercise, causing increased respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure, followed by calmness and feelings of relaxation and wellbeing. But unlike exercise, it takes very little time to laugh, you can do other things at the same time. And you don't sweat.

- Research has found that hearty laughter can actually generate substantial quantities of endorphins! Often referred to as "brain opiates", endorphins are pain killers and they make us a wee bit high. We produce endorphins in response to pain, shock, exercise, sex and other stimulation, and they are a vital component of our neurological coping system in times of stress. Wow! Here's a highly important neurological function and laughter is intimately integrated with it, apparently acting as a short circuit to kick-start the system. This startling demonstration of the importance of laughter tells me that neurologically, we're wired to laugh!

- Claims that laughter can actually prevent or heal disease are gaining credence as evidence mounts relating stress to illness. For example, "When the Body Says No", a powerful book by Canadian physician Dr. Gabor Mate, summarizes dozens of medical studies that link stress to serious illnesses, including dermatological problems, heart problems, cancer and even ALS. Researchers have found that this happens because hormones generated by stress can actually suppress functioning of the immune system. Clearly, if humour and laughter really do help battle stress, then they are protecting the immune system, and therefore indirectly battling disease.

- Furthermore, some studies indicate that laughter might actually strengthen the immune system, by increasing the number of "Killer T Cells", a major component of the army of cells that fight off invading pathogens. Similarly, "negative emotions" (especially prolonged anger or depression) have been shown to weaken the immune system. Astounding! The body system that is arguably most important for maintaining health, i.e. the immune system, might actually be depressed when you are depressed, and at the peak of vigour when you are laughing and enjoying life. This is beyond simply coping with stress, or generating endorphins. This is in-the-trenches, front line disease fighting.

Humour In The Workplace

It's clear that a stressful workplace isn't conducive to high productivity or creative problem-solving. Studies of workplace stress and burnout are legion, and corporations spend a fortune on possible remedies. What might surprise some managers however, is evidence that humour and laughter can be part of the solution. Studies show that workplaces rated by employees as fun, with lots of laughter, have lower rates of absenteeism, conflict and complaints of boredom. As well, these workplaces have stronger social bonding among co-workers, and managers are better liked and command more loyalty. Research also shows that strong managers tend to have a good sense of humour and can use it to motivate workers, calm tensions and even defuse conflict. Is it time to rethink the traditional, serious workplace? A growing body of research suggests perhaps it is.

Implications

Clearly, humour and laughter are necessities of life, and I believe they've evolved to keep us sane, healthy, and even productive. They are gifts, and here are a few guidelines for harnessing their power.

1. Try not to take yourself too seriously.

2. When things go horribly wrong, try the five year strategy. Pause and ask yourself, will this "crisis" matter in five years? A nice beverage can be a comforting accessory here.

3. Cultivate friendships with people who make you laugh. Funny friends are a gift - invite them to dinner, pamper them, car pool with them, hang with them on weekends.

4. Occasionally, we must deal with people who "bring us down". Avoid reinforcing their negativity by paying attention to it. Change the subject. Try to be the funny one in the relationship. You may save their sanity.

5. If you enjoy movies and television, carefully monitor what you feed your emotional self in the guise of entertainment. While tear-jerkers and violent dramas can be entertaining, a steady diet of such fare can seriously influence your mood. Make comedy the pasta of your entertainment diet.

6. Finally, spend time with kids - anyone's kids - and the younger the better. Kids under 12 can't last an hour without laughing, and their laughter is highly contagious. Kids are amazing little batteries that energize us with their antics. Soak up the positive emotional electricity that crackles off of them, and recharge the child that's inside of you. That child inside is the real core of wellness in us all.

Copyright - Dr. Glenn DiPasquale. This document, in whole or in part, cannot be copied or used for any purpose without the express written permission of the author.

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