The Concoction of Comedy
Are we losing out on humor?
I was standing on the 11th floor of my balcony when I was suddenly taken aback by a collective laughter of men who laughed at definite intervals. I was stunned to know that laughter can be artificial too! That was a laughter exercise being practiced after a session of other drills.
Well! in the days of the yore, laughter was spontaneous and it was a mandatory part in all relationships.
I see people having reservations in laughing; leave alone laughing out loud. I think the whole fault lies in the proverb “Laughter is the best medicine” Now who on earth would like to taste medicine even if it is sweet? It should have been “Laughter is the best Manchurian” or “Laughter is the best pub” or “Laughter is the best liquor’ and then I’m sure there would have been echoes of rambunctious, boisterous, belly, hearty, explosive roaring or convulsive laughter!
Laughter is free of cost. It hardly takes any energy to be spent. Only 17 muscles are needed for a smile while 43 for a frown. Yet I find people easily wearing a frown rather than a smile.
I was told by some friends that the more frowns you have on your face, the more seriously people take you to be. If you are the first to show a smile or wave out, people think you are the idlest person having all the time to smile and wave! To look busy, you should wear a frown and talk less.
In the groups formed on WhatsApp, there is always a trend of not responding to messages. The members probably are not aware of the fact that there is a digital trail which shows whether or not they have “seen” the messages. Why to keep quiet then? Why not respond at least in the form of emojis.
Talking of emojis, just reminded me that plain speak can always be adorned with a few emojis. Emojis are our emotions digitally.
Consider this
Someone says something to you and would you not smile, turn back or say something?
Or would you just ignore?
No !
Then why not the same here?
Benefits of laughter:
- It increases heart and respiratory rates and oxygen consumption over a short period after which a laughing person moves into a state of relaxation. A
10-15 minutes of laughter per day may burn 10-40 extra calories.
- Laughter affects heart function. It increases stroke volume and cardiac output, and dilates blood vessels.
- There is an inverse relation between coronary heart disease and tendency to laugh; laughing more means lowering the risk of a heart attack
- Laughter increases pain tolerance.
- Laughter therapy improves self-esteem and mood in cancer patients, according to a small 2015 trial
- Laughter energizes the sympathetic nervous system (SNS)
- Laughter lowers levels of the stress hormone, cortisol.
- Laughter increases serum immunoglobulins A and E. In most studies, it seems to increase natural killer cell activity as well.
- It raises levels of beta-endorphins (the feel-good chemicals of the body) and increases human growth hormone
- Laughter also has the potential to significantly affect the quality of our work lives. Humor helps relieve tension, reassures people, and draws them together
- It reduced stress, anxiety, and depression.
Try to smile, laugh, respond, communicate, appreciate, pep up and feel the change within yourself. You will feel lighter, better, and loved.
Take life easy. It’s not an examination.
Doctors shouting at their assistants during a surgery is a common sight but
I have seen doctors getting worked up in organizing cultural programs as well and are seen yelling at and demeaning those they can, without having the least sensitivity for others’ feelings.
While in school and college I had the title of the giggler and having an infectious laughter. I remember having cracked a joke in class during an ongoing lecture for which the two poor students flanking me were sent out of class who unlike me couldn’t bring their laughter to a braking halt when caught. I didn’t have the guts to own up then but today I know I owe them an apology.
So, let’s take the smile forward and pass it on today to anyone and everyone we meet. Let the smile grow up into a grin to a chuckle to a chortle, cackle and a guffaw!