Laughter is the best medicine

It’s important to laugh as much as you can to maintain a healthy lifestyle

The greatest malady of modern life is that man permanently seems to be on a treadmill! We’re on the move all the time, running, running, running – yet still in the same place. Television bombards us with dubious forms of ‘entertainment’ filled with action, violence, murder and disasters. Under these circumstances, is it at all surprising that we’re constantly prone to irritations, annoyances and unhappiness?
When we focus our minds constantly on the frustrations of daily life, we allow them to linger on and become festering grievances. We are left to lose our balance, which creates negative emotions, and leads to a lowering of our energy levels and inefficiency.
The trick is to snap out of this state of being and recover a sense of calm and control. Better still, we should learn to block out the irritations of life altogether by adopting a tolerant, and easy going attitude of laughing at life’s nuisances.
The first celebration of World Laughter Day took place on 10 January, 1998 in Mumbai and was arranged by Dr Madan Kataria, founder of the worldwide Laughter Yoga movement. On this first occasion, 12,000 members from local and international laughter clubs joined together in a mega laughter session.
According to laughteryoga.org, the celebration of World Laughter Day is “a positive manifestation for world peace, intended to build up a global consciousness of brotherhood and friendship through laughter”.
These days the Laughter Yoga movement has over 6000 ‘Laughter Clubs’ in more than 72 countries, across all five continents. Devotees believe the practice of laughter is not about just laughing, it is actually about cultivating childlike playfulness and creating positive energy and mindset.
Many of our problems can be solved if we relearn the gift of laughter. As children we are able to giggle, chuckle and laugh at our mistakes and minor problems. Laughter is a powerful tonic; it revitalises the body, mind and spirit.
Each one of us has our faults, moods, outlooks and oddities. Learn to laugh at yourself first. When you learn to laugh at yourself, you won’t be offended when others laugh at you.
The holistic benefits of laughter have been well-researched and documented. Modern medicine assures us that if we laugh more, we grow healthier! Doctors tell us that our blood molecules contain receptors which receive signals from the brain. When you are happy, cheerful and content, the receptors transmit these signals of happiness and the healing process, when suffering from illness or ailments, is accelerated.
Many doctors are convinced that if people are happy and have a positive outlook on life they are less likely to be struck down by disease or, if they are stuck down with illness, they will recover more quickly.
Laughter, especially the ability to laugh at oneself, is the greatest gift. Humour tempers our faith and gives us greater strength and resistance against the trials in life.
To bring increasing joy to your life, don’t forget to have a hearty laugh many times each day!
With Kira Spucys-Tahar