May is Mental Health Awareness month and it behooves us to think about our brains for as long as it takes for an avocado to ripen. I know, that isn’t long but bear with me. Stress is killing us, and that’s no joke. What’s worse, the more you focus on the stress in your life, the more stress you are accumulating…so…spend the lifespan of an avocado worrying about your mental health. Rather, spend the lifespan a fruitcake (which is practically forever) on laughter. Now that you’ve got the gist of where we’re going, let me elaborate.
Hans Selye pioneered much of the stress and adaptation theory, which continued research is proving true over and over again. When we are bombarded with overwhelming stimuli, our bodies try to defend the brain, resulting in disease throughout the body. The stimuli can be from juggling too many balls (responsibilities) or from the introduction of change (new jobs, losing jobs, deaths in the family, and so on). Clinicians developed a survey for patients to take which predicts the likelihood of a major disease in the next year, and the tabulated results were based on known stressors thrown at you in the course of the last six months. Good stress, bad stress…The result remains the same, and stress is a silent killer. It’s silent, but not always invisible.
Have you been hearing about the effects of cortisol lately? The physiological changes your system undergoes as a result to stress end with cortisol being excreted int your system. Cortisol is being blamed for mushrooming tummies as well as high blood pressure and Cushing’s Disease. Tell me, doesn’t this make you feel stressful? Stop thinking about it!
Focus instead on a healthy dose of guffaws. So what’s the value of laughter according to America’s brightest doctors? The Mayo Clinic says laughter isn’t just good for your stress levels, it energizes every part of your body with increased oxygen as it smooths away the effects of tension. Incorporate some of these ways to infuse your life with more smiles and giggles:
- Watch some Nate Bargatze; then watch some more. The whole dead horse routine offers tangible stress reduction. He’s clean and yet he manages to be downright funny. He was the highest earning comedian in stand-up comedy in 2024, and for good reason.
- Mail funnies in your cards. A stash of old Far Sides or Calvin & Hobbes desk calendars are great inclusions for get well wishes. I know, snail mail is from the past, but I find it still has a few uses. As you sift through your mounting collection for just the right cartoon, you’ll keep yourself in stitches. Humor never expires.
- Start a Pinterest board on things that make you laugh. Instead of scrolling through social media platforms with endless sources of practically perfect lives, use your thumb to scroll through things that make you smile.
- Binge on old TV comedies that lighten the mood of the room.
The bottom line is simple. Collecting what makes you LOL, such as jokes and puns and cartoons is the cure for stress and it won’t make you a fruitcake. Worry is not productive. Laughter is. Choose laughter.
