Laughter is Medicine
When I was younger, I was told I had a laughing problem. In elementary school, I would frequently come home with report cards saying that I needed to cut out all of the laughter. After enough negative reports I submitted to my teachers and worked hard to hold in my laughter in school settings- something that stuck all the way through college.
That being said, I am grateful that I am the type of person who is naturally inclined to laugh at things. It’s a quality of mine which, now that I’m out of school, I hope to share and impart onto my residents at work. Not only does it make for a fun environment, but it’s incredibly good for older adults and often has the capacity to bridge generational gaps. Laughter is the universal language of all human beings.
We’ve heard the phrase that “laughter is the best medicine”, but I recently found myself curious if there is any scientific validity to this message. And if so, how can implementing it among populations of older adults improve their quality of life? I did some research and found out some incredible benefits of laughter.
As soon as someone begins laughing, there are instantaneous impacts on the body. Endorphins are released, which leaves the body feeling good for up to 45 minutes after laughing. At the same time, cortisol (the stress hormone) drops and the body relaxes as tension in the joints and muscles decrease.
The long term benefits are the Holy Grail for seniors and young adults alike! Regular laughter:
Decreases pain in the body by utilizing endorphins and distracting the brain from the painful spots
Improves circulation which improves heart health, lowers blood pressure, and decreases blood sugar levels
Reduces stress, anxiety and depression (by increasing our levels of dopamine)
Improves memory function (when stress levels are reduced, the brain can make room for new memories)
Boosts the immune system- According to a study conducted by Indiana State School of Nursing, laughter can increase white blood cells which attack cancer cells.
It’s clear that there are serious benefits to incorporating laughter into your life. I want to encourage Long Term Care professionals to include laughter as a component of their community’s wellness/activities program. Laughter brings joy and life to residents, as well as helping them from a physiological standpoint. Here are some simple ways to incorporate laughter in senior living communities:
Laugh as often as possible yourself! Laughter is believed to be contagious due to the discovery of “mirror neurons”. These are neurons which cause us to mirror the behavior of another person, like when someone smiles and you can’t help but smile back.
Have a weekly activity that allows for laughter. In my community, we do something called “Giggle Clips”, where we compile funny videos from the internet and show them to the residents.
Show a new comedy movie each week (complete with popcorn and candy, of course!)
When the time is right, joke with the residents! They will enjoy someone being lighthearted toward them.
Given all of the physical and emotional benefits, it seems that laughter truly is the best medicine. It’s free, it’s got no side effects, and everybody can take it! I recommend starting your first dose now!
