When was the last time you had a good laugh? Think about it for a minute. Was it just yesterday, or even earlier today? Or are you having a bit of a struggle recalling any recent merriment? Life does have a way of getting pretty serious, pretty fast—especially when you’re dealing with something like addiction in your home.
Over the past few years, I’ve spent some time researching the mind-body-spirit connection. Perhaps reflective of our triune God—God the father, the son and the Holy Spirit—it seems that we, ourselves, are very highly integrated triune beings.
There is substantial clinical support for the idea that what happens in our mind (and the emotions it creates) has a huge impact on the health and well-being of both our physical bodies and our spiritual life. In the same way, what happens in our bodies or our spirits dramatically affects each of the other two parts.
LAUGHTER HAS BROAD BENEFITS
One of the most fascinating things I stumbled on in my reading was the concept of “laugh therapy.” As bizarre as it sounds, doctors and other health care professionals around the world are increasingly “prescribing” laughter to treat a variety of chronic health issues.
Laughter has been shown to provide many measurable benefits to our bodies, including reducing dangerous stress hormone levels; strengthening the immune system, lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow and digestion, relaxing muscles and reducing pain. Some professionals even consider laughter to be a viable natural anti-depressant.
There are even studies that strongly suggest that something as simple as wearing a forced smile can have a positive affect on your mood. Who knew that intentionally turning up the corners of your mouth could have such benefits?
WHAT IF LIFE ISN’T FUNNY?
Don’t worry if you’re one of those people who have a little trouble finding something to laugh about these days. The good news is that it appears our bodies are unable to discern between spontaneous joyous laughter and forced “fake” belly laughs. Both provide the same benefits. This is definitely one of those situations where “fake it ’til you make it” works! I discovered there are even laugh clubs springing up worldwide to help encourage people to meet and dedicate time to laughing together for better health.
GIVE LAUGHTER A CHANCE
No matter what we’re going through, laughter may, indeed, be good for what ails us. So . . . why not skip the news tonight, pop in your funniest DVD and give yourself permission to laugh out loud for a couple of hours.
“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”—Proverbs 17:22 (KJV)
TODAY’S CHAT: How can you add more laughter into your life? Make a conscious effort to try to laugh and smile more this week and, if you think about it, come back and leave a comment about your experience. Do you feel better in any way? We’re curious to hear!
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