What Happened to Laughter?
- Regina R.
- Jun 2, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 24, 2020
By: Regina, Website Developer
These days, adults are laughing less and less. But, why?
Laughter is the language understood by all. The young. The old. The deaf. Maybe even the extraterrestrial, that is, if they exist. Laughter is an innate feature, something engraved into our genes. Many claim “laughter is the best medicine”, and it truly is. When one laughs, endorphins, the body’s “happy” chemicals, are released. Endorphins may be small, but the effect they have on the body is immense. They can give a sense of comfort, and they may even briefly relieve pain. Laughter also reduces stress hormones, increases blood flow, helps fight diseases, and even promotes a longer life. A 15-year study shows that regular laughter was associated with a 48% decreased risk of death (Rodriguez).
“Knock Knock. Who's there? Laughter. Laughter who? That's right. Laughter is practically a stranger now.”
Laughing is pretty easy to do as it is very contagious. Simply watching a video of someone laughing is enough to trigger the process. People laugh all the time. However, as we grow older, our schedules become more packed and there is barely enough time to relax and have a laugh. An urban myth claims that children laugh at least 300 times a day. Even if that claim may not be completely scientifically backed, the main idea is the same. Adults laugh much less than kids. And that is a problem, no joke. Knock knock. Who’s there? Laughter. Laughter who? That’s right. Laughter is practically a stranger now. (Well, maybe that is exaggerating a little.)
Why Aren't We Laughing?
It’s not that we have fewer things to laugh about. In fact, we can interact with others with a click of a button, a privilege that our ancestors didn’t have. We have comedy shows at the tips of our fingers. We have people falling down the stairs, cute pets, and baby videos, just to name a few. So, why aren’t we laughing?
Perhaps it is the fact that we no longer laugh at peekaboo or belly raspberries. Maybe life is more serious now. People have to worry about money, work, politics, health, and more. It is easy to feel stressed and helpless. Now anxiety levels are peaking; according to the AADA, 40 million American adults are affected by it, but less than 40% of them are seeking help. The suicide rate is soaring, in fact, it has increased by 25.4% from 1999 to 2016. Therapy and medication may not be an option to all, but laughter may be one solution to those mental illnesses.
Why We Should Laugh
“Maybe we just don't know how to.”
An obvious benefit of laughter is that it makes us happy (all thanks to those teeny-tiny endorphins.) It can also help strengthen relationships, reduce conflict, and it may even make us more attractive. With all these benefits in mind and all the ways to laugh, why are we laughing less? Maybe we just don’t know how to.
How to Laugh
Well, why do we laugh? We do not know the whole answer to that, but we do know that a joke is not always needed to stimulate laughter, although it can help to. There are a lot of things that you can do in order to increase your “laugh quota”. Here is a list of ten items to do so.
Smile.
Tell a joke, especially corny ones.
Laugh at jokes, even if they don’t make sense.
Spend time with funny people.
Act silly.
Watch a funny video or comedy.
Think of a funny time.
Laugh at your embarrassing moments.
Be positive.
Do things that you love.
Laugh every day.
Okay, that was actually eleven things. The more the merrier! And don’t forget, as the famous comedian, Charlie Chaplin, said, “A day without laughter is a day wasted”. Don’t waste another day, laugh!
Sources
Facts and Statistics About Anxiety and Depression. Anxiety and Depression Association of
America, ADAA, www.adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics
Gerloff, Pamela. “You’re Not laughing Enough, and That’s No Joke.” Psychology Today,
Sussex Publishers LLC, 21 June 2011, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-
Robinson, Lawrence, et al. “Laughter is the Best Medicine.” Help Guide, Help Guide,
Rodriguez, Tori. “Laugh Lots, Live Longer.” Scientific American Mind, Scientific American, A
Division Of Springer Nature America, INC, 1 September 2016,
Stafford, Tom. “What Makes Us Laugh?” BBC Future, BBC, 5 June 2012,
“Stress Relief From Laughter? It’s No Joke.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical
Education and Research, 5 April 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-
Suicide Annual Report. America’s Health Ranking, United Health Foundation,
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