Laughing: The Cheapest Medicine
People often think to solve their problems they need some big cure, or some magical prescription. I often go looking for the most complex solutions when things go wrong because I always assume that the more complex solution, the better the outcome. What I have learned in my research, is that this is far from the truth. The simplest solutions, can turn out to be the most effective.
In the article, “What to Know About Stress”, author Catherine Tsai stresses that laughter can be one of the best forms of medicine. After going over studies, she found that “the muscles you use to laugh trigger a boost in endorphins that make you feel better”. In other words, laughing can get rid of stress because it produces these endorphins that in return relax your body and make you experience happiness. If you think about it, the only time you can ever relate any principle of sadness to laughing, is the tears that are produced from laughing so hard.
Some companies have time designated for their employees to go around and share funny jokes or watch funny videos to release tension they may be feeling. I thought that this would be a good idea to try when working with friends to study for an upcoming test. I experimented with this technique on Thursday night when I was studying for accounting with two of my classmates. The chapter we have been learning the past week has been rather challenging, and lets just say after the first 2 hours, I knew we needed a break.
Since I am personally not a great joke teller, I thought watching funny videos would be the best bet. We set a timer for 20 minutes, and we literally went on YouTube and searched “funny vines”. I laughed so hard that my stomach physically hurt. I was able to clear my mind and focus on something other than accounting for a little bit, and I was instantly put in a better mood. Who would have ever thought that a 20-minute break of laughing would decrease stress levels by so much?
Laughing causes you to smile, and usually when you’re genuinely smiling you’re happy. This is a fun easy technique that will be sure to decrease stress levels, and give you a minute away from the stress and madness. It could be something you do alone in your office, or it could be something you do as a group w co workers’/school mates. Either way, next time you’re feeling tense and like you want to break a window because of all the things you need to get done, take 20 minutes to watch some cheesy funny videos and smile. A stupid smile, and a little laugh, can go a long way in helping decrease stress, and ultimately increasing productivity.
Citations:
Tsai, C. (2017, May 19). “What to Know About Stress”. Retrieved October 1st, 2017 from https://knowledge-place.wealthmeethealth.com/individual/be-smart/article/what-to-know-about-stress/.
