The small change Top 10 DAILY Countdown to Wellness: Tip # 4 – Four minutes of genuine, belly-deep laughter

"Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects." — Arnold H. Glasow

When we're feeling stressed or just need a break from life’s emotional rollercoaster, we all have our go-to comforts. For some, it’s food. For others, a drink takes the edge off, but too much can leave us with a hangover and possible health risks. Prescription drugs might be a temporary fix, but they often cause drowsiness. Even scrolling through social media can be a quick escape; however, it sometimes leaves us feeling more anxious or disconnected than before.

But nothing can shift your mood or change your perspective on a problem like a good laugh. It’s your body’s natural pick-me-up: it releases endorphins, melts away stress, and helps you relax—all without a single downside. It’s a little bit of therapy you can give to yourself anytime with no morning-after regret. And it actually helps you feel more present and connected to the people around you.

Laughter is infectious - the kind you can catch without ever getting sick! Just the other day, my daughter and I were out running errands in the car when I suddenly remembered something funny and burst out laughing. She glanced over and asked what was so funny, but I was giggling too much to get the words out. That made her start laughing too! For a couple of minutes, we just laughed together. Finally, when I caught my breath and shared the joke, we both cracked up all over again.

It’s been said that “laughter is the shortest distance between two people,” and I couldn’t agree more. I enjoy sharing a good laugh with the folks who just “get it;” they see a thing the way I see it in the moment. Whenever you talk, you end up cracking up together.

When I can’t laugh with my “fun buddies,” television is my go-to source. “Family Feud” and “America’s Funniest Home Videos” guarantee me a few doses of therapeutic laughter seven nights a week - I’m talking about that genuine, gut-wrenching laughter that leaves me gasping for breath, clutching my stomach, and in tears.

Back in the 1970s, writer Norman Cousins was hospitalized with a mysterious, crippling disease that doctors believed would leave him paralyzed or worse. Refusing to give up hope, he decided to check himself out of the hospital and into a hotel, where he binged on funny films and read funny books. He discovered that just ten minutes of deep, belly-washing laughter could give him twenty minutes of pain-free sleep! Cousins later shared his uplifting story in his 1979 book, Anatomy of an Illness, which inspired a new way of thinking about the power of mind-body medicine.

I agree with Cousins, laughter is a wonderful healer—it gives us a break from whatever’s weighing us down. Just think about it: when you’re caught up in a good, authentic laugh, it’s impossible to feel anxious or angry at the same time.

A good laugh is also great for your heart - it helps boost blood flow. Now, imagine if clinics played funny videos in their waiting rooms! Patients could relax, lower their blood pressure, and visits with their provider would feel a little friendlier and less intimidating.

So…how often do you find yourself laughing to get through life’s challenges?

Do you have special people you can count on for a good laugh or swap funny stories with?

Laughter breaks down barriers between strangers faster than just about anything else. Have you ever shared a laugh with someone you didn’t know, and suddenly felt a little closer to them?

Here’s the bottom line: If you’re not laughing daily, you might be missing out on one of life’s easiest and most uplifting doses of good medicine - it could be the closest thing we have to a free mental and physical health miracle!

Be grateful for the people, places, and things that make you laugh; Be Well!

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