Laughter is good medicine

Does anyone remember a very strange toy that used to be all the rage. I think it looked like a face or just a mouth, and when turned ON, emitted the repeated sound of uproarious laughter. The joviality was contageous and no-one who listened to it for more than a few seconds could help but be caught up in the spirit of the moment. Soon, listeners risked the possibility not only of laughing themselves, but actually shedding tears.

Such toys, which some adults might consign to the world of juvinile attempts at humor actually have scientifically proven benefits to the human psyche, not to mention moods and interpersonal relations. Laughter has been proven to be a key aid in battling stress, something that most of humanity faces much too often in life.

Earlier this week, the on-line magazine Nature published an article entitled How to Laugh Away Stress. One of the findings reported is that even the anticipation of laughter can already have a positive effect on boosting someone's outlook on life. This means that if for instance we know that we have planned an evening with friends or family that will involve the telling of stories and the music of laughter, we can pretty much handle any stressful situation that might come along.

Not only can laughter help to discipate stress, it can also help to keep the immune system in check. Who of our ancestors would ever have believed that such a simple thing as comedy could help to keep us alive? Could it be that civilizations which have not yet become dependent on technology, and rely instead on such quaint activities as sitting around a table, listening to stories recounted by adults and children alike, sharing time with one another in conversation and yes laughing together, could actually be watching out for one another's health.

Perhaps the age-old addage is true after all: laughter is indeed good medicine.