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Laughter is a drug without side effects By Sharon Johnson for the Mail Tribune Jun 14, 2020 12:00 AM A A When I hear an 80-year-old woman giggle, it lightens my heart. I recall the moment when, in response to a gentleman friend spying her in curlers under a hair dryer and suggesting, “you look beautiful,” the older woman, who I know well, responded with a song-like laugh. The two flirted a little, he told a joke, and she giggled again. Light-hearted, laughing exchanges offer us respite in this getting-more-complicated world. But humor and laughter do more than that — they promote wellness. More about that later, but first another illustration, a vivid example of what laughter accomplishes. Years ago I found myself in a nursing care environment having breakfast with a group of 80- and 90-year-old women. They were sitting rather silently, a bit glum I thought, occasionally chatting over their oatmeal, but not very engaged. A tiny, 97-year-old elder broke the silence by saying, “This toast is as cold as last year’s lover.” There was a slight pause, after which these women — all in wheelchairs, with their arthritic fingers and fading vision — burst into gut-splitting, can’t-stop-myself, snort-a-little laughter. A few more one-liners were offered up — “I haven’t had this much fun since I went to a party and we played Spin the Bottle of Mylanta.” I watched it happen. Laughter lifted and lightened spirits, laughter healed. We know the prevention prescription for heart disease: cholesterol monitoring and physical activity, the right foods and the right amount. All of this is important. But maybe what is just as important (or more so) is the work we do to maintain lightness of spirit. A regularly revisited study, completed years ago, established a link between humor and healthy hearts. A team of medical researchers found that people with heart disease were 40% less likely to laugh in humorous situations than those without heart disease. Research at the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center used questionnaires to gauge how healthy people, and those with heart disease, differed in their responses to situations where humor was expected. The people with heart disease were much less likely to recognize humor. The conclusion is that the ability to laugh, either naturally, or as learned behavior, is critically important to well-being, even survival. It is not only our hearts that benefit from having loads of laughter in our lives. Studies have repeatedly shown that laughter strengthens the immune system and lowers blood pressure (in that respect, women seem to benefit more than men). It elevates mood, helps manage pain and improves brain function. How many times have you laughed today? Some wellness experts say if you are able to count the number of times, then you have not laughed nearly enough. So, what are you waiting for — if it is learned behavior, is it time to start the learning process? I suggest beginning with one dose. Observe the results as you lighten up, then double the dosage. As several wellness experts describe it, “A belly laugh is like a prescription; only it’s free, with no known side effects.” Sharon Johnson is a retired health educator. Email her at [email protected]