How Humor Can Help...
Laughter Facts
- The average preschooler laughs 500 times per day—that number drops to 15 times per day by age 35
- People smile only 35% as often as they think they do
- Laughter releases endorphins—a chemical that is a natural pain killer
- Every time you laugh a good hearty laugh you burn up 3 ½ calories
- Laughter causes you to breathe in more oxygen and can increase how you are able to deal with your pain
- Laughter boosts immunity and relieves stress
(Rau-Foster 2000)
www.workplaceissues.com/arhumor.htm
Several studies have been done in recent years that suggest humor has an important role in good health and can actually benefit patients with pain. One study done at The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii (COMIC Study-2009) showed that shared laughter helped even more than laughter when alone.
One group of participants in this study was shown a funny movie while receiving chemotherapy. The other group was shown a boring documentary. The group who watched the funny movie reported less pain than the group who watched the boring movie. The comedy group also reported less pain than when they arrived. What does this tell us? We all need to laugh and try to find humor in our circumstances—and laugh with someone. Go rent a good comedy movie or tell a joke to a friend. You may be surprised at how much better it makes you feel—it might even decrease your pain a little.
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