“A cheerful heart is a good medicine,
but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.”
Proverbs 17:22 (RSV)
Here is a science we can all love:
Ten minutes of hearty belly laughter equals 30 minutes of rowing a boat.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I’d rather laugh than row. To be clear, no one is recommending we replace an exercise workout with laughter, but it will fire up our abs and get our endorphins flowing. It’s pretty much common sense, that if our mood is good, we can do everything better.
Laughter improves our mental health by reducing the production of the stress hormone, Cortisol. Deep belly laughter is also like a mini abdominal workout. Hearty laughter triggers the release of endorphins, which are the body’s feel good hormones, which reduces pain perception and boosts the immune system, all of which contributes to an overall sense of wellness. Human babies will laugh long before they can ever speak. That’s something to think about.
In a particular research study, one patient who lives with chronic pain, found that 10 minutes of genuine hearty laughter allowed him two hours of pain free sleep, where he previously was in continual pain. Laughter is now scientifically linked to better pain tolerance.
A polite chuckle at a lame joke will not suffice, because this research refers to deep belly laughs that leave you gasping for air and wiping tears from your eyes. When we laugh, our bodies go through a complex combination of muscle contractions and respiratory changes, which afterward, acts as a medicine for the mind, body and spirit.
We are currently living in a stressful, confusing and very divided society. We are constantly bombarded with news of violence and tragedy. Too much bad news leads to a downcast spirit, as described in today’s scripture. While we remain proactive by praying, we also need to know when to walk away from too much negativity and find a way to lighten up our spirits. Both scripture and science tells us that whatever makes us laugh is like medicine and whatever brings us joy, can also bring healing
The other day I was walking my dog and my neighbor was walking hers. We stopped to chat, and I asked how her husband was doing after his medical procedure, and she asked me how my son was doing. She was going through a tough period as a caregiver. As I listened to her, I could relate and sympathize as she vented some of her frustrations.
While we were talking about everything, her Border Collie started circling me until his leash had me completely corralled. He wound his leash around my legs like a Barber shop pole, so that I couldn’t move. I’ve heard that it’s the nature of Border Collies to corral people and other animals. As we tried to unwind his leash from around my legs, the whole scene suddenly looked like a slapstick comedy, and we both burst into laughter.
Afterward, I realized that we both experienced a medicinal moment. My neighbor and I both live with some type of stress, as do most people. Her dog provided a brief moment of hearty laughter for us, which was like a dose of medicine, causing our endorphins to flow.
Animals don’t overthink good news or bad news, they just live moment by moment for life’s simple joys. If animals can teach us anything, it’s to lighten up and just laugh. Instead of permitting the bad news in the world to dry up our bones, and leave us downcast, we can pursue a cheerful heart that does our body, mind and spirit good, like a medicine.
Lord, help us to maintain cheerful hearts, while we keep offering our prayers to heaven. Help us discover the medicine of laughter by focusing on the simple joys in life. Amen
