The Healing Power of Laughter

In Proverbs 17:22, it says, "A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones." (NKJV). I like how the New Living Translation says it even better: "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." With the high cost of prescription drugs these days, we can all benefit from some good medicine that's free! According to a 1988 Health Update published in The New York Times, a group called "Nurses for Laughter" at Oregon Health Sciences University wear buttons that say: "Warning: Humor May Be Hazardous to Your Illness." A family practitioner at New Jersey's School of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Marvin E. Herring, said, "The diaphragm, thorax, abdomen, heart, lungs and even the liver are given a massage during a hearty laugh." And Dr. William F. Fry of Stanford University said that "laughter stimulates the production of the alertness hormones catecholamines. These hormones in turn cause the release of endorphins in the brain. Endorphins foster a sense of relaxation and well-being and dull the perception of pain."
So why don't we laugh more? Over the years, many physical benefits to laughter have been reported by doctors and health care professionals. Here are just a few:

Decrease in stress hormone levels
Strengthening of the immune system
Muscle relaxation
Pain reduction
Lowering of blood pressure
Cardiovascular conditioning
Natural anti-depressant

So why don't we laugh more? I am a member of a large family that loves to laugh—out loud. I mean, really loud! My favorite teachers in school were the ones who made me laugh. And I believe I was always eager to learn from my pastor because he filled his messages with humor, and because the laughter opens my mind and my heart to receive. If you suspect you might be suffering from laughter deprivation, let me encourage you to look for ways to laugh more! It might be just what the Great Physician has prescribed to improve your health and bring joy back into your life. No joke. Neuroscientist, Jodi Deluca, Ph.D., of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University said, "It doesn't matter why you laugh. Even in small doses, it improves our overall quality of life." How can you get a daily dose of laughter therapy? Don't take life too seriously and remember to focus on the lighter side of life. Take time to enjoy your friends, watch a comedy, read the funnies, etc. I'm sure you've heard this before, but life really does go by too quickly to spend it being miserable. Take time to laugh and enjoy life. It can be a blessing to you both spiritually and physically. God bless.