Timeless by Louis Cozolino

Author:Louis Cozolino
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

WHEN YOU’RE SMILING

Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.

Mark Twain

Like touch, laughter is good medicine. Laughter stimulates our brains by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle activity.21 This is why prolonged and hearty laughter can actually tire us out. Laughter helps us cope with stress by both decreasing cortisol levels and stimulating the production of important components of our immunological systems such as T cells, natural killer cells, and B cells.22 Laughter and the biological processes it stimulates have even been shown to alter the expression of 23 separate genes, reflecting its power to influence the brain and body.23

One reason why humor and laughter feel so good is that they stimulate dopamine production, which serves to reduce anxiety, depression, and loneliness while increasing energy, hope, self-esteem, and a sense of empowerment.24 Laughter and humor are good when we are alone but best when shared with others. Laughter is a social phenomenon and is even contagious, demonstrated by the fact that we tend to laugh more when watching a comedy with a group than when we are alone.

Freud considered humor to be one of the most mature of all of the defense mechanisms. Like other defenses, it helps us to cope with psychic pain by allowing for emotional distance and perspective on uncontrollable circumstances.25 In addition to its defensive functions, it also has many other psychological benefits such as increased hope and optimism. Humor can play an active role in the healing process for patients with life-threatening diseases by enhancing mood, improving pain thresholds, and lessening anxiety and discomfort.26 Older adults who use humor on a regular basis demonstrate less emotional and psychological stress.

Humor has been identified as useful in creating a feeling of connection in nursing homes and hospices for residents and staff.27 Not only is humor present in the majority of nurse-patient interactions, but it is more likely to be initiated by the patient than the nurse.28 Another study found a positive correlation between humor appreciation and longevity.29 Humor may correlate with a sense of autonomy and self-efficacy by increasing our perception of control over our environment. If we can’t control certain events in our lives, finding humor in our situation enhances a sense of perspective and control of life’s chaos.

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