Good Humor, Good Health!
Barbara Cacia, BSEd

“God put me on earth to accomplish a certain number of things and right now I am so far behind I’ll probably never die!”  Have you ever felt this way?  Life is complicated and full of stresses.  The problem is, if you are trying to get all your work done first, then planning your pleasurable activities, you may not be taking time to LAUGH!
 
When is the last time you laughed so hard you forgot what triggered it?
Research shows robust laughter gives your muscles and heart a good workout while boosting the immune system and lowering pain intensity.  A good laugh can burn as many calories per hour as a brisk walk.  And it can reduce stress.

Stress happens to all of us, but often the people who employ their sense of humor are the healthiest. Along life’s journey you have to decide which stressful events you can fix and which you cannot. If you can solve your problem with a checkbook or a credit card, then it is not a stress.  Just fix it and move on!    What keeps the stress response “on” are the matters of the heart – issues that involve people we love and matters that are out of our control.  Waiting for solutions to present themselves is difficult and patience is in short supply!  So, what do you do? Use the art of humor and distraction.
 
*SMILE! Research shows that just the act of smiling can set off big emotional and physiological changes that can help you feel joyful and optimistic.  When you smile or tell someone to “have a nice day,” you’re actually changing your neurohormone levels in the brain and they change your mood!
 
*Tell a Joke!  Having a good sense of humor doesn’t mean you have to have a supply of jokes or stories, but it’s good to have one or two that bring lightness to the situation and make it easier to “change the stress channel to a happy channel.”   

*Watch funny movies!  Create a library of good humorous movies that keep you smiling when the stress gets high.  Norman Cousins, who was crippled by arthritis, laughed himself well by watching Candid Camera, The Marx Brothers, and I Love Lucy!

*Hang Out with Happy People!  There are certain people in our lives who make us feel relaxed and happy, while others are full of gloom.  Choose wisely those with whom you spend your precious “free” time!

*Move Your Muscles!  Studies show that just taking a walk will elevate endorphin levels in the brain and create the “runners high” so you feel good for the rest of the day!

*Dream Big!  Have you ever thought about redecorating your home, writing a book, planning a trip to Italy?  Use a little time to let your mind relax and de-stress.  Keep a journal of your creative thoughts -- it could bring you fame and fortune some day!

*BREATHE!  Relaxation breathing can calm the heart and mind.  Breathe in and fill up the diaphragm like a balloon then, when you exhale, release the diaphragm and contract it.  Practice this lying on your back with a book on your belly.  Watch the book rise as you inflate the diaphragm and fall as your exhale.

Stress is a monster, but you are in the driver’s seat.  Help the body and mind cope with life’s difficulties in a style that will keep you healthy and happy.  Things do work out.  It may take some time, so get busy with your life, and LAUGH!

Barbara Cacia, BSEd, is a Health Educator in Rochester, NY, who provides workshops, group classes, and individual wellness counseling. She specializes in Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, and Chronic Pain. She will offer the class “Laughter Can Be the Best Medicine” at Pieters Wellness Center. For more information, go to her website at www.restoringyourenergy.com or call (585) 760-6659.
 

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