Hey everyone, welcome back to the Senior Safety
Advice Podcast. This is Esther Kane, retired
occupational therapist, certified aging in place
specialist, and co -founder of SeniorSafetyAdvice
.com. Okay, now you know that this month of February,
I have been focusing on topics about heart health
and emotional resilience. And today, we're going
to talk about the healing power of laughter.
I know you think, well, I don't know if that's
real, I mean, laughter sounds like such a small
thing, it's almost too simple, but believe me,
laughter is a powerful medicine. I'm not talking
about the forced kind of laughter, not the, oh,
be positive kind, you know, where you have to
talk yourself into it. No, I'm talking about
real laughter, the kind that sneaks up on you,
the kind that makes you breathe a little deeper,
the kind that loosens something tight inside.
That kind of laughter can actually change the
body. And here's why laughter matters so much.
Because stress lives in the body. It settles
into your shoulders, your jaw, your chest, your
neck. And sometimes your head, and that's where
all those headaches come from. Well, a lot of
headaches come from that. Laughter can interrupt
that. When you laugh, your breathing changes.
Your muscles actually relax and your heart rhythm
softens, even if it's just for a moment. Excuse
me. And that moment matters. My late husband
suffered from severe depression and anxiety.
The few times that he laughed, I mean really
laughed, made my heart sing because I rarely
heard it. We were together 25 years, so I should
have heard it a lot more. I can still remember
his laugh and how his eyes squinted when he did
that. Those moments helped him to relax and let
go of those dark thoughts that he was plagued
by. When people go through stressful times in
their lives, like family caregiving, health worries,
loneliness, financial worries, loss of any kind,
those things obviously are going to weigh on
you and weigh on your nervous system. And when
the nervous system stays tense, then the body
pays the price. Blood pressure rises, your sleep
suffers, you know, muscle pain worsens. Laughter
helps to release that pressure. Not by fixing
the problem, but by giving the body a break from
the problem. And sometimes that break is exactly
what someone needs to just keep going. Here's
something people don't always realize. Laughter
is actual physical therapy for the nervous system.
It stimulates circulation, it increases oxygen,
and it releases those feel -good chemicals. And
those chemicals can help to reduce pain, be it
physical or emotional. Just like what I said
before about my late husband, laughter can really
help to reduce that pain. Another thing laughter
does is it connects people. Shared laughter creates
bonding. It reminds us that we're human together,
no matter what our other differences might be,
laughter can actually bring us together. Next
time you're in a group of people, take notice
of how their posture changes, how their mannerisms
change when they're laughing, how they're engaging
with others when they're laughing. That connection
lowers stress and lower stress supports healing.
Caregivers, family caregivers especially, need
this too. I see so many family caregivers that
I've worked with running on empty. Even some
of my friends who are currently acting as family
caregivers for their elderly parents, they are
running on empty. They're always serious. They're
always responsible because they're stressed.
They've got a lot of weight, grief, and all kinds
of responsibilities on them. And somewhere along
the way, laughter gets pushed to the side. But
laughing Or having good moments doesn't mean
that you don't care. It doesn't mean you're ignoring
reality. It just means you're letting yourself
breathe. You're giving yourself a break. It helps
with perspective. When we laugh, even briefly,
problems feel a little less overwhelming. They're
not gone, of course. They're just lighter. And
that lightness gives the brain some space, some
space to think, some space to cope. with what's
happening, with what you're worrying about, and
some space to rest. Another thing that I love
about laughter is that it is accessible. You
don't need money, you don't need equipment, you
don't need perfect timing, you don't need anything,
well, except maybe the thing that makes you laugh.
You just need something that makes you smile.
You need a funny memory, a favorite show, a silly
pet, a grandchild's joke. Old sitcoms can usually
do the trick. Comedy specials on Netflix or YouTube.
And you can see a lot of old sitcoms on the free
channel called Tubi, T -U -B -I. And you should
check out the comedian Tom Papa on Netflix. He
makes me laugh all the time. I don't care how
many times I watch a particular skit. I myself
will laugh at that same episode every single
time. And guess what? It really works. The body
doesn't care if it's new, it cares that it's
genuine. And here's something important. Laughter
doesn't have to be loud. A quiet chuckle can
count. A smile that reaches your eyes can count.
The body responds to joy in all its forms. And
another thing that most people don't always realize.
is that laughter can improve resilience. People
who laugh regularly or tend to regularly bounce
back faster, emotionally and physically. They
tolerate discomfort better. They recover from
stress better. That resilience really matters
as we age. And I've noticed something else. Laughter
often invites movement. You know, a little rocking,
a shift in posture, a relaxed stance. Movement
plus joy is obviously a powerful combination.
It keeps people engaged and present and alive.
And please don't wait for life to be perfect
to begin laughing. If you do, you might end up
waiting a really long time. Laughter can exist
alongside grief. Believe me, I know. I've been
through that grief of losing my husband and it
was hard to find laughter after that. But I did.
And it does exist alongside it. It can exist
alongside stress. It can exist alongside uncertainty.
It doesn't cancel those things out. It just reminds
the body that joy is still allowed. and that
reminder can be very healing, especially through
a grieving process. So if today feels heavy,
then try finding one small moment of humor. Go
to YouTube, check out some funny animal clips
or, you know, comedy skits or your favorite comedian
or show, a memory, a shared smile, that's enough.
You don't need more than that. Small moments
of laughter really add up. They soften the edges
of hard days. They protect the heart. They calm
the nervous system. And they remind us that we're
not alone. Well, I hope that that was useful
for you today. And that's all that I have for
you today. Thank you again for being here with
me. If today's episode gave you some useful insights
or new ideas, then please share it with someone
who might find it helpful as well. And you can
discover even more expert tips and helpful guides
for seniors and caregivers at seniorsafetyadvice
.com. And if you're searching for an H &U Place
specialist, then visit our website at hnyplacedirectory
.com. Come back tomorrow for more useful tips,
insights, and ideas right here on the Senior
Safety Advice Podcast. And listen, if you haven't
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of yourself and the ones that you love.