We
all are aware of the stress response, the "fight or flight syndrome."
The physiological changes that occur when we are under stress provide
the body with the instant energy it needs to move quickly to fight or
run, as our ancestors did for survival. Today we experience these same
results, but we do not usually have the options of running or fighting.
It's a fact that negative emotions and emotional reactions to the
negative things that happen to us cause harmful physical effects.
Stress
causes physiological effects: heart rate increases, blood pressure goes
up, stomach acids increase, the ability to digest food decreases,
muscle tension increases, the ability to tolerate pain decreases, the
oxygen in the blood decreases, breathing becomes shallower...your
personality becomes shallower, your chances of winning the lottery
decreases...it's just a terrible mess all around! Constant stress can
cause negative reactions, such as lowering our resistance to disease or
infections. The negative effects can happen whenever we have negative
thoughts and feelings. Our minds are very powerful. People have had
heart attacks just by working themselves up into a frenzy of negative,
fearful or angry thoughts. Any perceived threat can initiate the stress
response.
This can range from someone screaming in your face to having to speak
in front of a group.
There is a powerful relationship between how you perceive what is
happening to you (the threat) and what is going on biochemically in
your body. Laughter is the antidote to the stress response.
Research shows that people who laugh heartily on a
regular basis have lower standing blood pressures than the average
American. When we have a hearty laugh, our blood pressure initially
increases and then decreases below normal levels. Our breathing becomes
deeper, sending oxygen-enriched blood and nutrients throughout the
body. With laughter, endorphins and other natural pain-relieving
hormones are released , improving our ability to tolerate pain. Our
ability to digest food also improves. So you are not only what you eat,
but what you think and feel. Research indicates that the benefits of
laughter occur as early as a smile.
How can we bring more smiles and laughter into our
lives?
Try one of these humor strategies:
1. Joel Goodman, founder and Director of the Humor Project in
Saratoga Springs, N.Y. suggests making a joy list: Put down five things
you love to do, but have not done in a long time. This could be
resuming former hobbies or contacting/meeting people whom you have not
seen in awhile. Choose two things on that list that you plan to do, and
write down a date and time when you will do the activities.
2. Create a humor library. Collect
humorous memos, bumper stickers, books, cassettes and videos. Next time
you are feeling a little down, read, listen and view. Think about
someone whom you consider fun to be around. What makes that person
attractive? Along with mental alertness and positive attitude, a large
part of your answer will lie in good humor and sense of playfulness.
Humor is an excellent tool to use on your path in life. Approaching
life's aggravations with humor has
fewer harmful side effect, for humor can release feelings of hostility
and at the same time provide an acceptable means of expressing and
decompressing these feelings in an appropriate way.
3. Get to know what amuses you. Who are
your favorite comedians? What types of humor do you like? For some it's
political humor... "When two politicians accuse each other of
lying...they're both telling the truth", others like nonsense ... "What
does a 300 pound canary say?... CHURP!!!", still others like
philosophical humor ... "I don't believe in an afterlife, but I'm
bringing a spare pair of underwear just in case.". Put on your humor
glasses and you are more likely to notice humorous occurrences that
would have passed you by otherwise.
4. Overcome your "fear of foolishness."
C.W. Metcalf and R. Felible authors of "Lighten Up: Survival Skills for
People Under Pressure," suggests that when an embarrassing moment
happens to you, choose to see it as a humorous incident. This will
prevent the negative physiological effects that will occur if you view
the event as a life threat ("I was so embarrassed I wish I were dead").
Take the risk of sharing the incident with others and nine out of ten
times they will see the humor and thank you for sharing it.
Humor is the healthiest coping mechanism you can use to
deal with the absurdities of life. I used humor to literally get back
on my feet after a diagnosis of severe arthritis. If you lose hope and
are taken over by fear, you become helpless. If you use humor and focus
on a positive outlook you
can get through anything. You can learn to use humor like Judo, fending
off attacks from a different angle. When the arthritis attacked, humor
was my defense.
Remember, if something is thrown at you and you meet it
straight on , you will fall backward. This is true for any "problem"
that attacks you. If you have a good sense of humor you can slide to
the side and look at it from a different perspective. Humor is not a
cure-all, but the positive emotions
brought on by humor and a good laugh can have a positive effect on your
overall wellness.
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