Always laugh when you can, it is cheap medicine. ~
Couldn’t agree more. Laughter can diffuse tension, strengthen friendships and make the unbearable bearable, to name a few benefits. But how do we [physiologically] make this non-verbal sound? And how early in life do we begin to to communicate in this fashion?
Your First Laugh
When my son was an infant, we (parents and grandparents) waited impatiently for that first smile that wasn’t gastro-related. From that time on, I made extraordinary efforts to force another smile, and once he laughed out loud, it was ON. Whatever I thought would yield a laugh, that’s what I did. Sometimes I was successful, and sometimes he just looked at me like he’d lost the Mom lottery.
How old was he then? I don’t recall for sure, but Healthline tells us that for most babies, the magic age is about four months. The fact that any human of that age finds humor in anything is astounding. However, by then they already have a visual picture of the norm, whatever that is in their household. When that view is distorted, it’s apparently a hoot to infants. Put in a more sophisticated way by Scientific American, incongruity is funny to a lot of us. “People laugh at the juxtaposition of incompatible concepts and at defiance of their expectations—that is, at the incongruity between expectations and reality.”
I just still find it shocking that in its simplest form, infants and adults laugh for the same reason. But how does it happen?
The Physiology That Facilitates Laughter
Oddly enough, there isn’t a plethora of information on the process, but there’s a bit from The Physiology Society. Note that I’m simplifying the explanation; read the article for details.
Laughter, as a non-verbal, is in the same category as as sobbing and screaming. In fact, from a physiological perspective, the sounds are similar to sounds emitted by animals. Here’s why. Emotional non-verbals are produced with a combination of breath and voice box controls and always in conjunction with facial expressions. Now, I haven’t seen any animals roll their eyes, but they certainly curl their lips and can convey disdain. Yes, I have cats, not dogs, and that could be a factor. Back to humans.
Enter intercostal muscles. They are between your ribs and you use them with every breath you take, as well as to modulate volume and vibrate the vocal folds. When you laugh, your diaphragm produces large contractions which result in forced air expulsion. That is, “HA!” Of course, we can all laugh silently, too, or our number of faux pas would increase exponentially.
There’s more, but quite frankly I’m no biology whiz, and if I proceed, it will benefit none of us. Let’s just say that even more of the process bears some similarities to the animal kingdom. Enough so that I’m wondering if we’re occasionally mocked by our furry family members. You know, while we’re handing out treats.
What Else Is Free and Healthy?
As mentioned early on, laughter is a gift. That is, free. And contagious. When you laugh with others, it’s because there’s a commonality, even if it only represents appreciation for the story that made you laugh. This acknowledgment serves to cement relationships, both personal and business.
While the trigger for laughing differs between people, recall that Scientific American says it’s the incongruity that shocks our systems into the breathing pattern that causes us to laugh. When we spot the incongruity, aka error, it gives us pleasure. Sadly, spotting errors doesn’t always have that affect, but when the story-telling (or acting) is quite clever and the mistake emerges unexpectedly, we laugh. Well, usually when it’s someone else’s mistake. When we’re in a group and we all laugh, we feel a sense of community, because we perceive similar experiences. Further, it’s good for your physical and mental health. I already knew this, but a Mayo Clinic article lays it out. Below are the benefits, paraphrased:
Short-term
- When you laugh, your intake of oxygen increases and that’s beneficial for your heart, lungs, muscles and your brain.
- Post laughter, your heart rate slows down, calming any stress that’s been building. You become more relaxed.
- Tension, which is often used interchangeably with stress, can also be alleviated with laughter by increasing circulation and relaxing muscles. J Flinch explains that stress is symptomatic of an unresolved problem and tension is more common during execution of a plan. My words, but you can click the link to read the whole explanation.
Long term
- Neuropeptides can be released when you laugh, and those strengthen your immune system. Negative thoughts do the opposite.
- Heal yourself. Laughing assists the body in generating natural painkillers.
- Choosing laughter instead of tears strengthens coping skills and is a great way to connect with others.
- Don’t worry; be happy through laughter. When people have long bouts of illness or experience depression, it’s hard to see the light as anything but an oncoming train. Laughter can help with that and with your self-perception.
Punchline
So, what’s in a laugh? I’d say health and happiness and a suspension of the proclivity to take myself too seriously.
No, I don’t have a joke handy to finish this off, but I do have a theory. That’s because when I spend time with people who get me and want the best for me, I will likely see the humor in our conversations and our situations. This is the case even when the outcomes are not what I’d choose. So to facilitate good health through less stress, better coping skills, and increased oxygenation, I keep company with my friends whenever possible. And I laugh often, even if it’s only because I amuse myself. I think my health depends on it.
You?
I agree with this!
I love to laugh and be around people who make me laugh. Life is short, laugh often 😂
And apparently life is shorter if you don’t laugh. Who knew?
I used to teach laughter yoga to Parkinson’s patients. Even fake laughter produces the same benefits as real laughter.
You are full of surprises. We’ll have to chat about that experience next time we see each other.
I still laugh when I think of that episode from WKRP. More importantly I learn to laugh at myself. With 4 older children who are quick to point out any irregularities they see in me, it’s a survival tool.
I am sure some of my coworkers will glady add to my list.
That WKRP clip is my go-to when I need a laugh. About your co-workers, we could all make a list about ourselves, I’m sure. 🙄
Good post. We do have customized laugh initiators. I learned early that things I think are very funny, especially things I say, are not funny to some people. Having said that, that is really not my problem. I still remember a high school coach who was very tall banging his head on the metal mechanism that closes the door. Half dozen of us teen boys could not hold it in but the coach had a different perspective. Or maybe, our sense of humor was better.
Oddly enough, I have the same experience, but I expect we aren’t laughing at exactly the same things. 😉