Is laughter the best medicine for you?
By Medicine Hat News on October 13, 2017.
When was the last time you laughed? Family caregiving is stressful and finding ways to cope with the ups and downs can take you on a wild journey of doctors, nurses, and medications and you might end up deciding it’s just easier to think your stress can wait. What if you could relieve your stress with something you could do anytime, anywhere, and was free? There is mounting evidence that laughter is essential to good health. Laughter Online University talks about “Laughter Wellness” and this excerpt from their website shares the reasons to bring more laughter into your life: “Studies show that it is a legitimate and powerful form of preventive (lifestyle) medicine, and a complementary option to other established therapeutic strategies for physiological, mental and emotional health. 1. Physiological benefits: laughter is a therapeutic ally in healing and a valuable form of preventive and complementary medicine. It provides important natural defences against illness. 2. Mental benefits: laughter diffuses bad stress, enhances problem-solving skills, and creates a new perspective. 3. Emotional benefits: laughter elevates moods, counteracts depression symptoms. 4. Social benefits: laughter fosters better communication, and improves cooperation and empathy between people. It is a significant lubricant of human communication and relationships. 5. Spiritual wellbeing: choosing to laugh and be positive teaches us to choose to live and be at peace with others, with ourself and with our environment in our current situation. It helps us build resilience to stress and find meaning in life. The essence of what Laughter Wellness teaches is summarized in the following question: “What can I do now with a positive attitude?” In addition to these benefits, laughter is also known to provide physical fitness benefits. Laughter clubs are springing up all over the world and “laughing for no reason” has helped people fight depression, decreases stress and changes their outlook on life. There’s a reason for the saying “Laughter is the Best Medicine” and that is the theme of the ninth annual Caregiver Workshop on Nov. 8. The workshop runs from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and includes the Magic & Comedy of Trevor Moore and sessions: Meditation Rocks!; Animal Safari With a Twist and Laughter for the Mind, Body and Soul. To register for the workshop, call Paula at Community Mental Health Association office, 403-504-1811. For more information, call Lorna at 403-548-8437. Lorna Scott, Caregiver Strategist with The Caregiver’s Lighthouse; author of the best selling book Walking the Journey Together É Alone; Lorna@TheCaregiversLighthouse.com 403-548-8437 14-13
