By Traci Rork
Miss Informed
(4.2.09)
Laughter is a wonderful phenomenon which should be practiced and praised by us all daily. In fact, multiple times a day, we should find ourselves throwing back our heads with genuine laughter - as well as providing a giggle to others whenever the opportunity should arise.
It’s one of our first celebrated achievements as a baby, a must have accessory for every photo, and a way to communicate in any language. Laughter often presents itself in welcomed situations, like after someone tells a funny story or joke or any other event where a laugh is the desired reaction. But on occasion, it arrives uninvited and with a vengeance. This generally occurs while we are watching a sad play, sitting in a quite library or any other time we’re expected to be calm, cool and collected. And let me be the first to say, there’s nothing calm, cool or collected about trying to suppress a laughing fit. The sounds that come out of our faces while struggling to keep things slightly above a smile are far more revolting than any a little chuckle.
Laughter also rears it’s head at times when perhaps concern or empathy would be the most appreciated response. For example, when someone slips and falls down, or breaks something of value, like glass, a bone or their pride. I don’t know why, but I am one of those people who is genuinely concerned, but It’s hardly evident because I’m laughing through my tears while asking, “are you okay?” (Snort, snort, chuckle, gasp).
I’m sorry. I can’t help it. Unless of course there’s blood or any other trace of severity, in which case the joke is definitely over. But if not, I will laugh until my face hurts and my stomach muscles get an ultimate workout.
This is something my friends and I call “Windsor Laugh-a-lotties”. It’s arguably the best ab workout in the free world, it’s been around since the beginning of time, and it seriously rivals the popular “Windsor Pilates” DVds.
Luckily for mankind, if you’re in a rut for a laughing fit - and we’ve all been there - there is a little show on TV called America’s Funniest Home Videos. Now I know the monologue is a bit cheesy and the episodes with Bob Saggett are borderline annoying, but stick with it and I dare you not to laugh.
Anyone who knows me at all, is fully aware that I cannot pass by this television show without selecting it or nagging others until they land on my beloved AFV. This series, which I predict will last forever, has been and will continue to be so popular because real life hands us some pretty funny moments. Granted, these moments are often not immediately funny to some because they’re accompanied by some sort of pain or inconvenience, but to others it’s hilarious.
These moments are raw, real captured on video and shared for our amusement…it’s a glorious thing. We’ve all had some stellar run ins with walls, floors and other people and you’d be lying if you said you didn’t have at least one amusing wipeout under your belt. But thanks to the wonderful world of television, we are provided with musical montages where several of these circumstances are strung together and played to music. These collages of comical clips barely allow you to catch your breath let alone digest or remember them. They merely exist to bring a smile to your face and a twinkle in your eye, no matter how many times you’ve seen them.
As Mort Walker once said, “Seven days without laughter makes one weak.“ Ha ha!
So do yourself a favor and don’t feel guilty about sitting around and soaking in some vitamin AFV. Here are a few funny facts about the benefits of laughter compiled by Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, Indiana:
Thirteen muscles are used to smile, but 47 are required for frowning. You have to smile nearly a quarter of a million times to make 1 wrinkle.
You can stimulate your heart and lungs, elevate your blood pressure and improve breathing capacity by laughing.
In terms of exercise, you can get the same benefits from laughing 100 times a day, as you can from 10 minutes of rowing.
Fifteen minutes of laughter equals the benefit of 2 hours sleep.
Laughing for 15 seconds adds 2 days to your life span.
According to study by Dr. Michael Titze, a German Psychologist, in the 50's people use to laugh an average of 18 minutes a day. Today, that's down to 4 - 6 minutes a day.
Dr. Michael Miller from the University of Maryland found that laughter can improve circulatory and cardiovascular health.
University of Chicago studies show a great sense of humor can add 8 years to your life.
People smile only 35 percent as much as they think they do.
Pre-school children laugh or smile 400 times a day, however, that number drops to only 15 times
a day by the time people reach age 35.
Go figure! Even though many of us still feel like kids, we’re kids with bills and the knowledge of fiscal responsibility. We’re kids who have kids depending on us and the ties that bind sometimes string us up a little too tight.
But remember this little quote by Kurt Vonnegut whenever you’re about to go jumping on the crazy train: “Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward.”
Unless of course you laugh too hard with a full bladder or while taking a drink!
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