By: Jennifer Beach, LSW, MA, C-SWCM
I was having lunch with a 96-year-old client at a restaurant in her senior care community. As we headed to our table, she looked around and said, “Let’s eat somewhere else; this place is full of old people.” I couldn’t help myself, I started to laugh, really laugh, and so did she. The food was so-so, our lunch was wonderful.
A sense of humor and laughter are vital as we age. We can do many things to age well, despite the conditions and challenges we encounter. Exercise and movement build muscles, endurance, strength and mobility. Diet and good nutrition aid digestion, reduce inflammation, improve our skin, and have other benefits. A sense of humor and laughter can boost our mental and physical health, reducing stress, anxiety and depression while helping us heal faster and respond more positively to medical treatments.
According to gelotologists (people who study humor and laughter), humor can have a big, positive impact on our bodies. Here’s how:
- Releases endorphins & reduces the stress hormone. Laughing swaps the cortisol (stress hormone) in our with highly sought-after chemicals in the brain: dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins. Dopamine can enhance learning and motivation, increase pleasure and reduce pain.
- Lowers blood pressure. Laughing can reduce blood pressure and the chance of a stroke and heart attack.
- Improves heart health. Along with a brisk mile walk, a good laughing session gets your blood pumping and increases your heart rate between 10 and 20 percent.
- Boosts T-cells. T-cells are a type of white blood cell (lymphocytes) that help our immune system fight germs and protect us from diseases.
- Exercises your abs. When we laugh, our stomach muscles expand and contract. That counts as exercise!
- Burns calories. A good laughing session (10-15 minutes) burns up to 40 calories.
- Lightens mood. Next time you are frustrated while driving or waiting in line, try finding some humor in the situation. You may realize the situation isn’t worth getting upset about.
Humor, just like exercise and diet, is a deliberate choice we make that’s not always easy. As we age, our social circle tends to shrink, and we have fewer opportunities to laugh with others.
Need a Laugh? Try These:
- Laughing Yoga – Also known as laughter yoga, this is a series of movement and breathing exercises to promote deliberate laughter. You’ll find videos online.
- Go to a comedy club, watch a funny movie, listen to a standup comedian, or watch other programs that make you laugh. Encourage yourself to laugh out loud.
- Make a laughter board or pick a spot for pictures, jokes and photos that make you laugh.
- Start a tradition with a family member or friend. Share a joke when you get together—even if it’s a weekly “tell your new joke” phone call.
- Recognize the things that make you laugh (laugh triggers) and build a mental stockpile. Share them with others and be sure to recall them at stressful times. Remember, it’s OK to laugh even when there is loss or illness.
- Spend time with the people who make you laugh and less time with those who leave you drained.
- Try a ”laughie.” It’s similar to a selfie, except you film yourself laughing and play it back to yourself. Honestly, you will laugh at yourself, and who better to laugh at than you?
You probably laugh more than you think, so build on it and help others join in. Laughing can be contagious.
I’ll leave you with a joke that gave me a good giggle: I recently called the incontinence hotline. They asked if I could hold.
Original Post: https://blog.aginglifecare.org/blog/tips-for-helping-a-loved-one-adjust-to-assisted-living/