January 9, 2023
Three Facts About the Importance of Humor
Have you ever taken one of those personality assessments? Or a values assessment?
Whenever I take one, I always end up with 'humor' as one of my top values/personality traits. There are probably a lot of reasons that shows up for me, but I have decided it really does encompass something meaningful to me. Making someone smile or laugh is something I love to do. Here are three facts about why laughter and humor are so important.
Laughter helps our bodies and long term health
The Mayo Clinic released an article about how important laughter is for relieving stress. When we laugh, we stimulate organs, take in more oxygen and increase endorphins in the brain. Laughter makes us feel good and can make us feel more relaxed. Over the long term, it improves our immune system, relieves pain, increases personal satisfaction and improves our mood!
Levity helps us relax
According to Emiliana Simon-Thomas from the Greater Good Science Center, "Levity is our primary vehicle for restoring a relaxed state. It helps create a buffer and escape from the mental and physical stress that underpins so much of our suffering."
A sense of humor is linked to creativity
According to Psychology Today, humor can help people be more creative in problem solving. Boosting the mood of volunteers increased their likelihood of having an 'aha!' moment as measured by their ability to solve a word association puzzle, the standard test for creative problem solving.
This month, we focus on humor in our kindness calendar and offer all kinds of ways to bring more humor into your life. Tell a joke, watch a funny movie, share a hilarious story with a friend or colleague. Make sure you have at least one big belly laugh each day.
In good humor,
Brooke Jones
