Humor Reduces Stress

By Motivational Speaker, Laughter Reduces Stress Expert,
Richard Paul

Work site wellness is the latest trend in increasing productivity, decreasing absenteeism and helping reduce health care costs. Every HMO, Life Insurance Company and even the Duck from Aflac are reminding us to eat healthier and exercise daily. This is all fine and dandy. But the idea of wellness must include laughter as part of our daily routine.

Researchers have discovered that the average child laughs about 400 times a day and the average adult laughs 15 times a day. PEOPLE WE NEED TO DO WHAT STEVE MARTIN DID AND PUT LUNCH MEAT IN OUR SHOES SO WE CAN FEEL FUNNY. Now of course this is an over statement but I hope you understand my point.

My older brother is 56 years old. He workouts every morning and watches what he eats. I on the other hand will walk almost every other day and watch what I eat sometimes. We both recently had our blood pressure taken. His was in the danger zone and mine was excellent. He was so upset complaining, “This isn’t fair, you eat all that fast food you should be the one with the high blood pressure! How is yours is lower than mine?”
“I laugh more than you,” I replied.

The point is we can eat healthy and exercise daily but if we take along our worries and fears we are doing nothing to counteract our stress. I remember a time when I was so stressed out about a business dealing, that I tried everything from walking to running, jumping and meditating. Because I was so worked up my breathing was off, my chest hurt and I just didn’t feel good. It wasn’t till I made a choice to laugh about the situation could I feel less stressed and open to new ideas.

Studies have proven that humor is a great stress-reducer and it is one of the best natural ways to calm yourself down. Laughter not only reduces the higher cortisol levels caused from stress but it also gives us a different perspective on the situation.

NBC News just did a report about happy people. They found that happy people in most cases live seven years longer than unhappy people. If you would like to live longer start implementing some humor therapy today.

Here are some great ways to begin your humor therapy: Watch funny TV Shows, go to funny movies and funny plays. Make it a point to be with funny people, read and tell jokes. If the situation you’re in is so bad that you can’t seem to laugh, try making it larger than life. Example: “HEY EVERYBODY I ‘M LOST! MAYBE I AM GOING THE RIGHT WAY AND EVERYONE ELSE IS LOST? THAT’S IT! THE WHOLE DARN WORLD IS LOST!”

If you want to reduce your stress, be healthier, more productive and become a valued workplace team member? I suggest you start laughing now!

Sources: NBC News
Laughter for Stress Relief, Susan Stewart
How can you laugh at a time like this, Sandy Dorrian
Stress Vs. Health Article, Dr. Christos Ballas MD, Healthline Networks
How Does Stress Affect Health, John Michallidis

Copyright Richard Paul 2009

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By Motivational Speaker, Laughter Reduces Stress Expert,
Richard Paul

Bill Cosby once said, “If you can laugh at it, you can survive it.” Last August my father who is ninety years young, healthy and still living at home with my mom, who is 86, experienced a physical challenge. His sodium level had dropped and while in the hospital he had a mild heart attack. After a series of tests they found that he had major blockage in his arteries. In a nut shell we thought he was going to die.

After his cauterization he laid still on the bed calling each of the family members to his side saying that he loved us. Thinking he was dying he offered to give me his old Buick Riviera the car with customized front plate that read, “Touch of Class.” I quickly said, “No dad that car is yours.” But he insisted that he wanted to give me the car. He even wrote down all the legal information on a hospital note pad. “I will not take no for an answer the Riv. is yours,” he demanded.

Couple days later Dad made a dramatic turn around and within a week he was back home. Two days after he came home I was dealing with a few stressful situations. First and foremost my web site domain was lost. They were telling me that I didn’t renew it but I had records saying that I did. Because of the many phone calls to the domain register and the web host geeks I was running late for my early morning meeting with a client. As I was about to rush out the door my dad called on the house phone to wanting his car back. While talking to dad, my brother called on my cell phone to tell me not to give dad the car back. To make matters worse on my business line was my web host calling to say that they can’t help me with my domain problem. Needless to say I was stressed-out. I was so angry that I snapped at my dad and said, “You gave me the car and now you want it back?” He then played the poor unloved father card saying things like “you don’t love me?” I shouted back, Come get your car I have to go to my meeting!”

I looked at my watch and noticed that I was late. I threw my brief case in the car and was about to pull out when I felt the front tire go “thump.” I got out of the car and noticed that I had a flat tire, at this point I was panicking. After pacing back and forth and freaking out my wife reminded me of what I tell my audiences to do when they have to deal with things that are stressful and crazy. I instruct them laugh and you will begin to have a different perspective of the situation.” I forced out a chuckle then a giggle and a good HA Ha! In no time I could feel my muscles relax and my breathing coming back to normal.

When I arrived at the meeting site the clients was not upset that I was. A few days later I drove Dad’s car back and he was happy again and my brother’s tech. expertise help fix the domain problem.

Abraham Lincoln so gracefully wrote: “With the fearful strain that is on me night and day, if I did not laugh I should die.” When you are stressed laugh and you will begin to have a different perspective of the situation and in no time things will work out just fine.

Copyright Richard Paul 2009

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