When last did you laugh so deep that it hurt your stomach and make tears roll down your cheeks?  You really want to stop, but you simply can’t? As a teenager I remember sitting on the balcony of a church one evening. My friend and I started giggling about something I cannot remember. Maybe our laughter was about a funny hat we noticed, an elder battling with perspiration or someone singing a false note? Our only remedy was to slink out of the church, hopefully unseen.

Laughter is an inborn human characteristic and research indicates that humans share this ability with all mammals. Even mice show signs of it when tickled! The value of laughter has been praised by many over the centuries. Charles Dickens said, “There is nothing so irresistible and contagious such as laughter and good humour.” Mark Twain wrote that humans have only one effective weapon, and that is laughter.”

When we laugh, we benefit our PHYSICAL and MENTAL well-being. It changes our brain instantly and for the better, by increasing Dopamine and Serotonin, neurochemicals common in anti-depressants. It also lowers the levels of Cortisol, the stress hormone. Laughter has an anti-inflammatory effect and protects the heart muscles and valves form damaging effect of cardiovascular disease. No joke, it even burns a few calories! There are many more…

There is a significant body of academic research on this topic. It can even be utilized as a potent technique in therapy. The ability to laugh at oneself is specifically crucial like when you do something silly like putting on a T-shirt inside-out and not realizing it until you sit in a meeting at work! If we laugh about it the embarrassment is instantly deflated. It momentarily crushes the struggle for survival and makes us forget the tough stuff in life for a bit.   

Laughing is a universal language and creates SOCIAL connection. One of the best ways to engage with others is through laughter. It establishes a sense of togetherness. It is contagious. You start laughing at something and the other person laughs with you. You both know what you are laughing about! When others start laughing you often start laughing too. It is a neurological, thus physical response to the joy of another.

Humour and laughter are key characteristics of creative thinking. Why do many of us laugh at Mr. Bean? The reason is because he does things in a strikingly unusual or non-ordinary way. When Mr. Bean writes an exam paper for which he hasn’t prepared and tries to copy from a fellow student, his facial expressions are comical and larger than life! Two tips for you are to firstly to make a point of finding things or situations to laugh about every day. Secondly, share this with others!