Health Benefits of Humor
Andrew J. Nicholson 1,581 words
English 102: Section 33
December 3, 2013
Essay #3
HUMOR AND ITS RELATION TO A HEALTHIER LIFE
Ever since I can remember, I have always enjoyed to make myself and others laugh. Humor has always played an important role in my life as it was key in helping me develop my personality and outlook on life through childhood. What I did not realize however, was why or how it made me feel better about myself. For this research paper, I wanted to find out just exactly how humor affects us in our day to day lives, and whether or not it played a key role in having a longer, more enjoyable life. From my research, I found many different ways that humor can influence our emotions and physical health. Everyone enjoys a good laugh every now and then, but is there more to it than that? How does it affect our bodies in various ways from everyday to 50 years from now? What are the true benefits of humor? There are many positive health effects related to a humor-filled life. According to an article entitled "Laughter is the Best Medicine" by Melinda Smith and Jeanne Segal, there are physical benefits in our response to humor in our every day lives. These benefits are split into two different sections: short-term and long-term. One example of the short-term benefits of humor would be that laughter induces relaxation. It gets many muscles moving in your body. One reason muscles get tense is lack of oxygen flow. Once you laugh as a response to humor, it increases the flow of oxygen to the muscles resulting in a more relaxed, more energy-filled body. Another short-term benefit is that laughter causes pain and stress relief. This is achieved by intense stimulation of organs in the body
Nicholson 2 which leads to increased circulation and blood flow. As for the long-term effects, they can be just as rewarding. For
English 102: Section 33
December 3, 2013
Essay #3
HUMOR AND ITS RELATION TO A HEALTHIER LIFE
Ever since I can remember, I have always enjoyed to make myself and others laugh. Humor has always played an important role in my life as it was key in helping me develop my personality and outlook on life through childhood. What I did not realize however, was why or how it made me feel better about myself. For this research paper, I wanted to find out just exactly how humor affects us in our day to day lives, and whether or not it played a key role in having a longer, more enjoyable life. From my research, I found many different ways that humor can influence our emotions and physical health. Everyone enjoys a good laugh every now and then, but is there more to it than that? How does it affect our bodies in various ways from everyday to 50 years from now? What are the true benefits of humor? There are many positive health effects related to a humor-filled life. According to an article entitled "Laughter is the Best Medicine" by Melinda Smith and Jeanne Segal, there are physical benefits in our response to humor in our every day lives. These benefits are split into two different sections: short-term and long-term. One example of the short-term benefits of humor would be that laughter induces relaxation. It gets many muscles moving in your body. One reason muscles get tense is lack of oxygen flow. Once you laugh as a response to humor, it increases the flow of oxygen to the muscles resulting in a more relaxed, more energy-filled body. Another short-term benefit is that laughter causes pain and stress relief. This is achieved by intense stimulation of organs in the body
Nicholson 2 which leads to increased circulation and blood flow. As for the long-term effects, they can be just as rewarding. For
Cited: Bollinger, Caroline. "Test for Laughs." Prevention 57.2 (2005): 56. Academic Search Premier. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. Cann , Arnie . "Humor Styles, Positive Personality, and Health ." Europe 's Journal of Psychology 181.2 (2010): 213-235. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Nov. 2013. Lefcourt, Herbert. Humor and Life Stress. New York: Springer, 1986. Print. Lyubomirsky, Sonjay . The How of Happiness. New York: Penguin, 2008. Print. Martin, Rod. "Humor, Laughter, and Physical Health." Psychological Bulletin 127.4. (2001): 504-519. Skynet. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. Smith, Melinda , and Jeanne Segal. "Laughter is the Best Medicine." Help Guide 50.1 (2013): 12. Help Guide. Web. 27 Nov. 2013.