Monday, March 1, 2021

Who’s Laughing Now?

Nobody it would seem. The pandemic has choked the funny out of many of us. But laughter is exactly what we need more of these days

By Dennis Perrin, Prairies Director

Recently, a close friend shared with me that he is struggling to find laughter these days. It’s no wonder. Good news or reasons to laugh seem to be difficult commodities to find.

Most of us living in Canada have hit the annual mental hurdle with winter. We’ve been living with it for the past four months, and we’ve got at least another two more to go.

Combine that with a global pandemic that we’ve been enduring for almost a year, and you’ve got a recipe for a real lack of humour. Instead, uncertainty around everything from a possible third wave of COVID to vaccine shortages has us living in a world that seems devoid of laughter.

I don’t laugh nearly enough or as often as I used to. The me of 20 years ago was a lot funnier than the me of today.

I think in many ways I liked that guy better. I could be known as a joker, the life of the party, and never too far from the next prank.

But I’ve noticed that the pressures of being a dad, a leader in my workplace, and a good overall corporate citizen seem to have choked the funny out of me to some extent.

The benefits of laughter are very real and are well supported by modern science. Not only does laughing feel good, but it also has many short and long term health benefits.

• Laughter reduces stress. It increases oxygen-rich air coming into our lungs, and increases the endorphins that enter our brain, thus making us feel good. It also stimulates muscle circulation, thus relieving the tension that stress brings to our bodies.

• Laughter strengthens our immune systems. Combined with stress-reducing benefits, it can increase infection-fighting antibodies that help protect us from illness. That seems like a handy thing to have in a viral pandemic.

• Laughter is heart healthy. It increases blood flow and assists the function of blood vessels, thus decreasing the risk of heart and cardiovascular diseases. No wonder my grandmother said laughter is good for the heart.

• Laughter increases our personal satisfaction. It elevates our mood and makes it easier to engage meaningfully with other people. Who doesn’t love a funny person?

As I get older, maybe laughter, like many other things, needs to be more intentional. Despite current circumstances, there are still plenty of reasons to laugh.

It’s no wonder that my wife often wants to wind down the week on a Friday night with a funny movie or a great comedian on Netflix that makes us both laugh until we cry.

Another friend once told me that the secret to aging well is the ability to laugh at yourself. I must admit that my own mirror could be the source of my next set of giggles.

Wherever you find yourself these days, look for those reasons to laugh. Put up your feet and start your favorite Will Ferrell movie. You just may be doing yourself a world of good.

Who’s Laughing Now?

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