Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.” Lord Byron (1788-1824)
Reader’s Digest filled the shelves in our childhood home, such loyal subscribers were our parents. When a new issue arrived in the mail, we turned to its humour: the jokes, one-liners and riddles.
SAMPLES
- A woman accompanied her husband on his annual checkup. While the patient was getting dressed, the doctor came into the waiting room and said to the wife, “I don’t like the way he looks.” “Neither do I,” she replied, “but he’s handy around the house.”
- I decided to sell my vacuum cleaner as all it does is gather dust.
- I weigh nothing, but you can still see me. If you put me in a bucket, I make the bucket lighter. What am I?*
Do any of the samples make you laugh? Humour can be tricky, since what’s funny to one person may leave another unmoved. For instance, I will guffaw at comedic scenes in “Stranger” and “Imposters”, while my TV viewing partner sits stony-faced. Conversely, Glen will laugh aloud at the silliness of “Airplane!” or the slapstick of National Lampoon’s “A Christmas Vacation” during countless viewings, while one meets my laughter quota.
Today, on World Laughter Day, we’re meant to recognize the value of laughter. Because it improves our physical and mental health. Humour won’t take away our underlying problems — or COVID — but it can serve as a distraction and a coping skill. As well as our mind, our body reacts to laughter, releasing endorphins, the feel-good hormones. Laughter affects our dopamine and serotonin levels, neurotransmitters that play a role in happiness and pleasure. It also reduces stress by lowering our levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) and epinephrine (aka adrenaline). For these physiological reasons, some members in the medical community now include laughter therapy among traditional treatments.
Laughter yoga came on the scene in 1995 when Dr. Madan Kataria, a physician from Mumbai, created it to lessen symptoms of depression and feelings of loneliness. It combines deep breathing, gentle stretching, simulated laughter exercises and playful games and activities. His program is so popular there are now over 5,000 laughter clubs in more than 50 countries.
To bring more laughter into our lives, try the following triggers:
– Watch funny movies and TV shows. There’s a reason Schitt’s Creek won best comedy series at this year’s Golden Globes and cleaned up at the Emmy Awards; even my American friends love this Canadian sitcom.
– Read funny books, magazines, comics and cartoons. (I’m embarrassed to admit some cartoons in The New Yorker perplex rather than amuse me.) Growing up, my siblings and I used to quarrel over the first right to flip through issues of Mad magazine.
– Spend time with cheerful, upbeat people. Or those who make us chuckle, as Brandon does me with his wit. Of Ontario’s slogan during the pandemic, he quips: “Not Yours To Discover.”
– Perhaps most important, lighten up; don’t take ourselves too seriously. When I laugh after flubbing a shot on the tennis court, my opponents and partner may join in. They’re laughing with — not at — me (I think!).
Although social laughter is great, we can also train ourselves to laugh out loud when we’re alone. And research shows self-induced laughter can be as effective for health and wellness as the spontaneous kind. One health practitioner prescribes a ‘laughie’, like a selfie except we record ourselves laughing and then watch the video to cue us to laugh whenever we want.
One minute of laughter in a day is better than none! •
P.S. * In case you’re wondering, the answer to the riddle is a hole.
P.P.S. Please add your triggers or sample humour in the comments below to stimulate today’s laugh.
A-maze-ing Laughter: funny or disturbing sculptures? Contemporary Chinese artist Yue Minjun is considered a cynical realist.
Catherine McCallum says
Although it may sound cliche I love to laugh. I gravitate towards others that can see the funnier side of life even in not so laughable situations. The alternative is to cry. I am blessed to have many friends and family members who supply the laughs. I too grew up with Readers Digest and the flipping through to the jokes.
Pam McPhail says
Cliche maybe, Cathy, but you’re also quoting from Mary Poppins, which had plenty of funny tunes in it. You are blessed indeed to know many individuals who stimulate laughs. Me too!
Al Frank says
I’ve been intrigued by the notion of “contagious” or “infectious” laughter. When one person laughs, it seems to stimulate laughter in others.
On another note, I enjoy watching my grandchildren developing a sense of humor. They have evolved from literal jokes to understanding concepts such as irony and satire.
Pam McPhail says
Al, Your comment sent me into the rabbit hole as it raises questions such as “how to we develop an appreciation for humour, of any kind?” “How do we learn our triggers for laughter?” Although everyone may have a sense of humour, “why are some people funny and others not?” And so on…
Thanks for adding your “serious” observations. You did not get me laughing but did raise a fascinating topic of conversation!
Janet Anderson says
I try to find a laugh a day. Important for me!
Christmas Vacation was one we too enjoyed for many years Glen.
As well, replays of A Fish Called Wanda and Bridesmaids always elicit laughter from me.
Thanks for this reminder Pam. Well done!
Pam McPhail says
Put Hitch, As Good As It Gets and Meet the Parents (who knew De Niro could be funny before this movie!) on a list of go-to comedies for me. Yours also make me laugh, Janet.
Marilyn RB says
I hadn’t known there was a World Laughter Day. Thanks, Pam! Laughter is good for the heart and soul as the adage says. My family was entertained by the Reader’s Digest jokes too but there was a sense of gravitas in our household. We had to “watch” the laughter lest we become too silly and frivolous. Ironic that some of the funniest practical jokes I’ve heard of were instigated by my mother when she was a young woman. Stories we hear and tell. When my children were young, we’d sing the Mary Poppins’ tune, “I Love to Laugh” and enjoy “the merrier me” with great belly laughs.
I have always found more humour in self-deprecation and wit than in “humour” at another’s expense. My husband shared a video the other day of a young man trying to fill up his Tesla with gas. He couldn’t of course locate the gas tank. It was hilarious and laugh out loud as you might imagine. However, there was a turning point. The individuals videotaping could have jumped out of their vehicle to “help” but instead carried on with their Youtube spot. It became an act of ridicule. Funny how there can be a fine line between humour and cruelty. Google it, if interested. In the meantime, I will celebrate World Laughter Day just a day late.
Pam McPhail says
Marilyn, I do not enjoy mean humour or sarcasm when it’s directed at “undeserving” people. Of course that leads to an inconclusive discussion of who, if anyone, is deserving. DT perhaps? I agree your anecdote reveals a fine line…
Deborah Etsten says
Wise and witty words—always welcome! Thanks!
As a young adolescent, one of my favourite activities was to head for my friend Susan’s house and then to her basement. We made ourselves quite comfortable, fixing drinks with god-knows-what sodas or juices and then an overload of maraschino cherries. Then Susan would put on “the record.” It was a 45 and it had a simple feature. It was a laugh track. It started with one single person laughing and then it grew to more and more. By a half a minute in, Susan and I were holding our stomachs and practically rolling on the floor.
We didn’t overdo this idea but we both knew when it was a good time to indulge.
Pam McPhail says
Deborah, Your story picks up on laughter being “contagious” or “infectious”. Often those words generate trepidation because of their common association with viruses and diseases. Maybe we need to think of a new word to describe the effect of single laughter spreading to others?
The 45 has long disappeared but maybe you’ve replaced this laughing trigger by a modern medium such as youtube? You and Susan were smart to know the value in belly laughing at a young age. Oh yeah. Since 2005, January 24 is Global Belly Laugh Day.