Charles Darwin believed that one’s facial expression could actually influence one’s mood. This has since been scientifically proven to be true.
It is said that currently we laugh an average of 4-6 minutes a day; it was 18 minutes in the 1950’s. So what has changed? Why do we laugh less than we used to? There have always been wars, poverty, disease; it’s hard for me to believe the world has changed that much. I would have to say it’s our attitudes that have changed. Our entertainment has changed.
To rephrase from “We Are Who We Surround Ourselves With”, I’d have to say we are what we surround ourselves with. In the 1950’s you had Andy Griffith and Leave It To Beaver. Currently every other show is a crime drama, a murder story, death, bad people, and struggles for justice.
It’s as if we enjoy being lost in dramatic television so we don’t have to focus on our own problems. I will speak for myself, but television is just a depressant for me.
Life is dramatic because we make it dramatic. It’s a cultural habit.
We should take a day to turn the TV off and spend time with good people. Find people who are always in good moods, positive, and uplifting. If you make a great effort to spend time around happy people, it will become contagious. Avoid the ones who bring you down and remind you how “terrible life is”. You will feel a breath of fresh air to laugh with people who are content with life.
Next time you’re upset, watch a funny movie or read a book that makes you smile. The benefits of laughter and happiness greatly outweigh the consequences of sadness and depression. Remember benefits over consequences.
According to humor-laughter.com:
- 15 minutes of laughter equals the benefit of 2 hours of sleep.
- Laughter can improve your immune system by releasing levels of cortisol into the body.
- Laughing will stimulate your heart and lungs, elevate your blood pressure, and improve your breathing capacity.
- You can add on to your life span by laughing.
- It can improve circulatory and cardiovascular health.
- Laughter releases endorphins. (A natural “high.)
- Humor can increase morale in the work place.
- University of Chicago shows a great sense of humor can add 8 years to your life
