We know better than anyone how difficult it is to understand the news. Continuing political conflicts, health crises, and climate change are understandably felt every day. But journalism is never just about difficult topics, it’s about giving people everything they need to know. So today we will introduce: era of breakthroughhere we label materials that offer relief in a negative current.
First up is a new monthly column by Thomas R. Varney, a psychiatrist, scholar, author, poet, and podcaster. He previously taught at Harvard University, the University of Toronto, and York University, and is currently based in Stratford, Ontario. Dr. Varney has written eight of his books, including an international bestseller. The secret life of a fetus And just recently, The Embodied Mind: Understanding Cellular Memory, Consciousness, and the Mysteries of Our Bodies. He will write about cutting-edge research that promises to benefit our health and improve our lives.
Laughter has quantifiable positive physiological and psychological effects. It can be used for preventive purposes or as a complementary or alternative treatment option in the treatment of emotional and physical disorders. Whether in a clinical setting, in a laughter yoga group, or at home, laughter has many benefits and can greatly contribute to living life optimally.
Research shows that laughter reduces stress hormones, increases endorphin production, boosts the immune system, and improves pain tolerance. Laughter has a huge impact on a person’s physical and mental health, leading to a better quality of life and, in some cases, helping people recover from serious illnesses.
Mac Dryden is a two-time cancer survivor, professional comedian, actor, and motivational speaker.he was first diagnosed with cancer In the 1970s, journalist Norman Cousins gained attention for his groundbreaking research on the healing power of laughter. Dryden took Cousins’ writing to heart and joked about it during his treatment. Because it was smart, practical, and definitely the most fun.
Ash I once wrote: There was a lot of discussion against being depressed and miserable, so I decided to spread tumor humor instead. And the benefits are immeasurable. ” His advice is, “If your life is affected by cancer, laughter should be part of your regular treatment regimen.”
In a 1989 study, researchers at Loma Linda University in California investigated the effects of laughter on 10 healthy male subjects. Five of the girlfriends watched her 60-minute humor video, while five of the control subjects did not. They then measured the stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine in serial blood samples. Cortisol in the experimental group decreased more rapidly from baseline than in the control group. Epinephrine levels in the experimental group were significantly lower than controls at all time points. Growth hormone levels in the experimental group increased significantly during baseline and decreased with the laughter intervention, whereas they did not change over time in the control group.
Basically, what this study proved is that laughter helps downregulate stress hormones. Researchers also found a link between laughter and the production of antibodies and endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers.
In 2006, scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine found that while laughter causes the endothelium, the tissue that lines the inside of blood vessels, to dilate and increase blood flow, stress has the opposite effect, constricting blood vessels and reducing blood flow. reduce the flow. “The idea to study positive emotions such as laughter arose after research showed that mental stress causes blood vessels to constrict,” said Dr. Michael Miller, professor of medicine and lead researcher. .
In one study, volunteers watched a segment of a comedy one day and a scene from a war epic the next. Each volunteer served as its own control. Overall, more than 300 measurements were taken. When study volunteers watched stressful movies, the inner walls of their blood vessels constricted, reducing blood flow. This finding supports previous research that suggested a link between psychological stress and narrowing of blood vessels.
However, after watching an interesting movie, the inner lining of the blood vessels dilated. “The magnitude of changes seen in the endothelium after laughing was consistent and similar to the effects seen with aerobic exercise and statin use,” Dr. Miller wrote. The endothelium has a powerful effect on blood vessel tone, regulating blood flow, regulating clotting and blood thickness, and producing chemicals in response to injury and inflammation. It also plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular diseases. In other words, laughing may lower your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Japanese geneticist and author Kazuo Murakami conducted an experiment in which diabetics listened to a monotonous university lecture and then went to a comedy show by a top stand-up comedian. As described in a 2006 paper, this two-day experiment showed that participants’ blood sugar levels decreased after laughing compared to when listening to a boring lecture.
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Other studies have shown that when you laugh, extra amounts of serotonin are naturally released into your gastrointestinal tract. Cardiac vagal tone, which represents the contribution of the parasympathetic nervous system to cardiac regulation, is improved. The parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) is strengthened and the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) is suppressed. As a result, your immune system is strengthened, you heal faster, and you are less likely to get sick.
Mental health issues vary, but loneliness is often associated with them. Therefore, it is important to encourage social laughter. Laughter, available to everyone, is a free and easy way to support mental health in your community. The easiest way to laugh is to join a group led by someone who is familiar with laughter techniques. Take, for example, the work of Steve Wilson, the Ohio psychologist who brought the Rafter Club concept to the United States in the late 1990s. He has trained thousands of laughter leaders in North America and beyond.
More medical professionals should become familiar with how and when to prescribe laughter and encourage patients suffering from stress, depression, or various chronic illnesses to laugh more often.
Mary Kay Morrison, active member and past president of the American Association for Applied Humor Therapy, encourages mental health professionals to explore the benefits of humor and laughter. Recognizing the need to clarify terminology, she uses the terms “humergy” to mean joyful, optimistic, healthy energy, and “humergy” to refer to those who drain that energy from us. I made it. Her research includes exploring her five stages of humor development as a key element in understanding cognitive development.
Eat your vegetables, exercise, get vaccinated, and have a good belly laugh every day.
The mind resides in the whole body, not just the brain, so if your body is healthy, your mind will also be healthy. Find joy in everyday moments, share laughter with friends, and embrace the healing power of laughter. After all, it is one drug that is always in sufficient supply, does not require a prescription, and is not a victim of inflation.
Dr. Thomas R. Varney is a clinical psychiatrist, scholar, award-winning author, speaker, poet, and podcaster. He is the author of his eight books, including international bestsellers. The secret life of a fetus And in 2021 of The Embodied Mind: Understanding Cellular Memory, Consciousness, and the Mysteries of Our Bodies.