the best medicine - day 20

Laughter is the fireworks of the soul. 
- Josh Billings


A few years ago on a camping holiday in France with my family, we experienced a powerful example of contagious laughter. 

In the dead of night all was quiet in the campsite when one camper not far from our tent sneezed loudly and he started to laugh waking his partner.  She too started laughing and pretty soon laughter was heard from their neighbouring tents.  Very quickly the hilarity crept through the surrounding tents and dozens grew to hundreds of campers laughing hysterically.  It was enormously contagious and impossible to stop for a number of minutes with aftershocks continuing for a good ten minutes before everyone settled down and quiet was restored. 

Literally everyone smiled at each other the following morning as we were reminded of our shared hilarity.  There had been a lot of thunder storms keeping everyone awake in the nights leading up this one and campers had grown a bit gloomy, not to mention tired!  After this the gloom lifted and the sun came out again too.

What's so funny about laughter?

Studies show that laughter has an enormous bearing on our physical and mental wellbeing.   At the Gesundheit Institute, founded by Patch Adams (played so memorably by Robin Williams in the film of the same name) laughter and humour are the key ingredients in the healing and recovery of patients from surgery and illness.

Laughter is like taking our insides for a jog, massaging all our vital organs.  It perks up sluggishness and released endorphins - nature’s happy juice.  It makes our memory sharper and reduces brain fog while also lowering blood pressure.

There’s even a theory that forced laughter (the body can’t differentiate between fake and real laughter) releases a cocktail of hormones, neuropeptides and dopamine which will improve your mood when the winter blues sets in. 

You might get a giggle out of this...

Researchers at the University of Michigan have calculated that just 20 seconds of laughter could be as good for the lungs as three minutes exercise on a rowing machine.  So today’s restful activity is to take a large helping of medicinal laughter which may actually give you a belly ache but in the process cure so much more.

What makes you laugh? Films,  comedians, bloopers, cute animals, slapstick humour, jokes…
The above image is of Holly and Philip (ITV’s This Morning) and their bloopers and outtakes are hysterical.  I’ve just had my medicinal dose selecting this link for you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL-Z0lfDa9E

Whatever it takes make today a day of laughter. At the very least do what puts a smile on your face.


Have a super day,

Trina xx

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