the importance of laughter for your health

*update- November 21, 2024*

Happy Thursday friends! For today's Thursday Health Thoughts Post I wanted to re-share a post that was originally written here on the blog in 2016 about the Importance of Laughter for our health. While this post was written in the midst of my personal fight for health and physical life, I have found myself revisiting the wisdom of this for every single day. Even after healing, it remained true for my life the importance of this- and the wisdom of finding laughter for your health.

*original post from 2016*

Shortly after I was diagnosed with Advanced Late Stage Lyme Disease and Cancer I went to work reading many different books and doing tons of research (which I am sure everyone does!). My research kept pointing me to Norman Cousins book, "Anatomy of an Illness" so I definitely made a point to read this book. I was inspired and amazed by his story and would definitely recommend it, no matter anyone's diagnosis or even if you are completely healthy. 

If you are not familiar with Cousins' story, he was diagnosed with a debilitating disease where his body would literally fuse together. It was incredibly painful and he was told it was incurable. Cousins shared that doctors only gave him a 500 to 1 chance of recovery. 

Despite these discouraging odds Cousins implemented his own "treatment" and eventually recovered! In his book he discusses the entire method of what he did but one of the things that he writes about is the influence that laughter had on his healing process. Cousins (after he obtained his doctors' approval) chose not to stay in the hospital but he stayed in a hotel room (near the hospital) and in addition to his diet and vitamins he gave himself (as he termed it) "laugh therapy". Cousins watched and read anything that would bring him laughter. Overtime he started to see that for every ten minutes of laughter he would have a couple of pain free hours! 

Isn't that incredible??!?

 Every 10 minutes of laughter brought him a couple of pain free hours!! I was amazed when I read it!

Now, before I receive a ton of emails stating that this is not physically possible I do want to say that I do understand that when you are in pain and not feeling well it is sometimes hard to find the laughter. I do understand. 

Seriously, I do. 

But as I read the following statistics and information I was convinced again about the importance of finding laughter in our difficult and painful health circumstances.

Doctors say that laughter:

(1) can distract attention away from illness or pain

(2) can reduce tension

(3) can change a persons expectations by encouraging a different outlook

(4) can increase the production of endorphins which is the bodies natural pain killers
(5) can help the immune system in unexplained ways

There are even some hospitals around the United States have even incorporated "laughter programs" to help their patients heal. There was an article several years ago about a Catholic hospital in Texas where nuns told funny stories to patients on a daily basis so that they would feel better and heal more quickly. The results and statistics in this hospital were astounding. Patients recovered faster, there were less complications, and patients were more inspired to fight for their lives despite grim diagnosis'.

Honestly, I do understand how difficult some days can be when you are hurting and sick or sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. There are times where tears are even to painful to cry. Life hurts and is messy and extremely difficult. But one of the things that shocked me to learn in my research was that it actually takes more effort and energy not to smile then it does to smile and laugh. 

This really impacted me as my energy levels are so low and I try and do everything possible to not waste my little energy. Learning that it takes forty-three muscles to frown but only seventeen to smile is honestly a huge game changer. Does that mean that I don't cry or have moments where I am not laughing all of the time? Absolutely not. BUT it does mean that I have fought to find joy and laughter throughout each day and I truly believe that makes a difference in this healing journey. 

So what are some ways that you can find laughter ~ especially on days where it feels like that is the absolute last thing you want to do? Here are a few ideas:

* watch funny movies 

* read funny books

* read the comics

*talk with friends and loved ones who bring laughter

* read funny blogs 

(seriously, some are hilarious!)

* find the joy in simple things

 Scamper, my kitty can make me laugh with things that he does. There are so many simple things that you can find to laugh about. An extra note... if you have never read the health post on the benefits of owning a pet click HERE! 

* avoid the drama

I actually have chosen to gather facts about things that are happening worldwide but limit my "doomsday news reading"/ social media scrolling. I also have chosen to not watch anything that would cause stress, tension, or negative thoughts to go into my life. 

* try not to take things so seriously

I am preaching to the choir on this because with being ill it can be difficult not to do this. I have learned though that if you look for the bad you will find it but if you look for the joy you can find joy.

* keep old emails, article clippings, letters, etc. that bring joy and laughter to look at often 

* laugh at yourself 
I have shared my endometriosis story here on the blog and to this day I will never forget a situation that happened during this intense time period. My mom and I were in a very populated mall when I received the phone call that the surgeon (from across the country) would accept me as a patient but would not be able to have an appointment available for an additional three months. This was devastating news as we were hoping to get in immediately and my mom and I sat down and bawled our eyes out right there in the middle of the busy mall. As we realized that people were staring at us we looked at each other and started to giggle and then couldn't stop laughing. To this day we laugh about this incident. Don't be afraid to step out and laugh!

* choose to laugh at the hard and absurd of your health journey
I have had doctors and specialists tell me the most insane things and there is a time for standing up and making a declaration (like I did about that Real Housewives of Beverly Hills episode) but there is also a time for choosing to laugh at the hard and absurd. 

One time, during an intense part of my health journey I had a check up with one of the doctors that I saw for routine health things. I hated seeing this doctor, but to keep some insurance requirements and because I was in the ER so often at that time I had no choice. I am not kidding when I share that during one appointment this doctor said, "so my treatment plan is working then? I told you that Lyme Disease didn't exist and all you needed was some rest in bed". 

Now did I take a moment to share about Lyme Disease and advocate it in a respectful way? Yes. 

BUT instead of letting this dictate my emotions for the next day or week, I simply laughed about it with friends later. As one of my friends said, "who knew that to cure Lyme and Cancer all you needed was a couple of years in bed?" Seriously, we laughed until we cried and then we did cry for a few minutes and then we made the decision to laugh some more. Don't let someone steal your joy and laughter. 

Where do you find laughter? I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas! Happy Thursday friends!