276. Why Laugh (Guest Post)

[Carita here: Hi, Readers. The photo above should give you a sense of guest blogger Sarah Zarbock's spirit and humor. Holding a cow was on her bucket list––maybe why make and complete a bucket lists should become the topic of a future Why Wednesday––so here she is holding a cow. I'm thrilled to be able to share this guest post, my first in months. Sarah is one of my reader friends, and I know you'll find her essay as delightful as I do. Please don't forget to share your responses--especially praise--in the comments. Now, on to Sarah's words.]

I laugh a lot. Ask any of my friends or family members, and they will tell you that I laugh a lot. And I make them laugh a lot. Recently, while watching an episode of David Letterman’s “Stupid Pet Tricks,” I laughed so hard, I found it hard to catch my breath. That may be a somewhat extreme example, but it peaked my curiosity to research the topic to answer the question, “Why do people laugh?” Although laughter has been scientifically studied, researchers have so far failed to explain exactly why people laugh. However, we do know what happens biochemically when someone laughs. Laughter can cause the brain to release endorphins, chemicals that are nature’s way of relieving one's pain and stress and boosting their mood.

Making others laugh also has the power to heal. Although a good sense of humor can’t cure all ailments, according to one source, it can help people get through “loss, setbacks, upsets, disappointments, difficulties, trials, tribulations, and all that not-so-funny stuff.” Impressive.

One curious aspect of laughter is that it can cause one to faint. Basically, some people laugh and then pass out––but only for several seconds and then return to normal (unless there is serious underlying disease). This condition, known as laughter-induced syncope (fainting), has been rarely reported in the medical literature, although one case I encountered made me laugh out loud. It involved a 62-year-old man who had multiple episodes of syncope while laughing when watching Seinfeld on television. Known as “Seinfeld Syncope,” its treatment includes patient education, discontinuation of medications that may cause this problem, a specific medication to treat it and, it would seem reasonable to stop watching or at the very least sit down while watching Seinfeld.

Although we know that laughter matters in some very important ways, it is especially beneficial in healing. Norman Cousins, an American journalist and author of Anatomy of an Illness: As Perceived by the Patient had been diagnosed with a crippling and potentially fatal illness. His landmark book explores the impact of a patient’s attitude and emotional well-being on his healing. He partnered with his doctor to use humor to boost his body’s natural healing capacity. Cousins believed that watching Marx Brothers movies and Candid Camera episodes actually helped him cure himself of the fatal disease. When Cousins reflected on his treatment journey, he marveled at the way the human mind and body can tap into its inner resources to meet an extraordinary challenge. His experience helped start the revolution in patient-physicians collaboration to use the patient’s own abilities to heal.

We are going through extremely difficult times. Many events and speculations about an uncertain future are no laughing matter. However, laughter, at an appropriate time, place, and circumstance, has inestimable power––to relieve, to soothe, to bond, and to help us when we are troubled or in trouble, especially now. W. E. B. Dubois acknowledges laughter’s value. “I am especially glad of the divine gift of laughter; it has made the world human and lovable despite all its pain and wrong.” 

There are other important but less famous people who can help us laugh–like my mother. She told me a joke decades ago that still makes me (and others) laugh every single time I tell it. “Have you heard about the merger of Stop and Shop and A & P?” Answer: Stop and P.” Yup, I just laughed again––a wonderful memory of my mother. I am very grateful to her for the gift of making me laugh and modeling for me how to do the same for others.

So we circle back to the question “Why laugh?” Based on all of the benefits of laughter, my answer would be, “Why not?”

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[Carita again: Wasn't that fun! I hope you'll write something nice to Sarah in the comments AND if you have a joke to share, write that, too. Also, if you feel inspired to write your own guest post, let me know. Last, don't forget to find things to laugh about and people to laugh with.]