As America sends soldiers off to Iraq, an internal war rages within the nation; the war against stress. In the midst of this war, the American Psychological Association has been studying how to manage stress and help the mental well being of Americans across the nation. Unfortunately, their 2007 stress poll, reported, “One-third of Americans are living with extreme stress and nearly half of Americans (48 percent) believe that their stress has increased over the past five years” ("American"). As people’s stress levels rise, their health and work productivity fall which can lead to failure in school, work, and life. So how does one go from this (http://www.thecamreport.com/images/stress.gif) to this (http://www.azmythfinancial.com/MPj04317390000%5B1%5D.jpg)? The answer is laughter. Although some may argue that laughter is just a human reaction to jokes, many researchers have discovered a good chuckle leads to a successful lifestyle. One of today’s leading novels about the right and left brains, A Whole New Mind, takes the ideas of many researchers to support how laughter is necessary for success. As indicated in Daniel Pink's A Whole New Mind, laughter is imperative to success in school, work, and life because it reduces stress, promotes health, and enhances work environments.
One of the first ways laughter leads to achievement is by decreasing stress emotionally and physically. Having a good giggle begins to lessen stress emotionally. When people become overwhelmed in situations or relationships, emotional stress tends to come about (Ballas) and can cause problems working with others and concentrating on duties. Dr. Madan Kataria, the man who invented laughter clubs, laughter yoga, and who has long studied the effects of laughter on life says laughter, “... releases suppressed emotions and feelings easily because it is body-oriented rather than a mental process. There is nothing to understand mentally — laughter yoga works on the mind through the body” (Kataria). Here Dr. Kataria discusses how laughter yoga and laughter clubs such as this one (Laughter) reduces emotional stress, but any laughter will do. Less emotional stress, helps one focus more on the task at hand and create better relationships with those working around them. The calmer and more contemplative the workers, the easier it is to concentrate on enacting goals. Cracking up every now and then also helps lessen physical stress from tension in the body (Ballas). Elizabeth Scott M.S. is a psychologist who has spent eleven years teaching stress management skills. Laughter she has found, “...reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine, adrenaline, dopamine and growth hormone” (Scott). With less physical stress, one has more energy and is not left feeling too tired to do a certain project. The added energy equals more productivity which forms future prosperities. By eradicating both emotional and physical stress, laughter undoubtedly directs one towards accomplishment.
With stress reduced, any sudden guffaw may be focused on developing one’s health which in turn augments one’s success. In the workplace and school, viruses and bacteria lurk on every surface. Although not all are harmful, those that are can take one out of work or school for several days, weeks, or even prove lethal. In this world of germs, and disease, a good immune system is vital to staying productive, and what better way to boost an immune system than by taking a minute for a hardy cackle. That is right, laughing helps build immune systems. Doctors who have been studying the effects of laughter on humans for years have found this in numerous studies. A team of doctors in this field, Dr. Lee Berk and Dr. Stanley Tan from Loma Linda University have found that laughter, “… boosts immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-fighting proteins called Gamma-interferon and B-cells, which produce disease-destroying antibodies” ( "Humor" ). Put in simpler terms, “Laughter appears to tell the immune system to "turn it up a notch"” ( "Humor" ). So basically laughter activates the immune system’s cells and reminds them, “Hey, that infectious disease over there sure looks like it could use a good fight.” Laughter improves the immune system, and better immune systems prevent one from missing work or school or coming to work or school totally out of it. These extra healthy days provide more opportunities attain one's desired form of success. Another way laughter advocates health and triumph in life is by supplying exercise. William Fry, the man who has been unearthing truths about laughter since 1953, found one minute of laughter equals ten minutes on a rowing machine (Fry). What does this have to do with success? Well, since laughing is an exercise that can be done anywhere anytime, there are no limits to its possibilities. Instead of having to go to the gym and do this (Anton) all one has to do is this (photo courtesy of Clip Art). At work the little extra exercise can help one stay focused on a boring day, at school the extra exercise can help expand attention spans, and in life it can help one live to see their kid’s kids. Not only does cachinnating provide an anytime workout, it may be better than other exercises because it supplies a good flow of oxygen to the body, without having to think about it. One natural health author, Mike Adams says, "laughter increases oxygenation of your body at both the cellular and organ level. By laughing, you intake vast amounts of oxygen in huge gulps, and you repeat this process in a sort of temporary hyperventilation session" (Adams). The oxygen keeps one alive, and the extra oxygen in the body creates a "greater mental clarity" (Adams). Staying alive normally classifies as an achievement, and the "greater mental clarity" helps one ponder ways to reach their ideal success. Adams also states, "that cancer cells are destroyed in the presence of oxygen. In fact, many parasites and bacteria don't survive well in the presence of oxygen, and to the extent that you can circulate extra oxygen throughout your body, you can help prevent, or in some cases treat, these diseases" (Adams). That could definitely reduce sick days, or even elongate life; giving one the time to find their own path towards success. Truly, laughter sustains health which directs one towards satisfaction.
After laughter minimizes stress and elevates health, any chortle ensures a better work habitat which pilots one towards success. To start with, laughter connects employees. An article titled “What’s So Friggin’ Funny” , from scientific journalist Steven Johnson, examines research from a neuroscientist from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Robert Provine to conclude, “Our bodies aren’t responding to punch lines; they’re responding to social connection. And even if we don’t yet understand the neurological basis of the pleasure that laughing brings us, it makes sense that we should seek out the connectedness of infectious laughter. We are social animals, after all” (Johnson). Basically, laughter is contagious, and once one person laughs another is sure to follow just like these ladies, (The Road). This creates a simple social structure and common connections between those who engage in a titter together. With this fundamental social atmosphere at work, better employee relations are sure to follow. With these strong relations also comes imporved productivity, developing a better work ethic all around. Success always follows great work ethics. Laughter, in addition to connecting employees, also improves the creativity of the workers. Allen and Nichol's Productions, a website committed to finding all the possible paths to victory (one of which is laughter), found from Daniel Goleman's book Emotional Intelligence, that, "Laughter frees and unchains our minds to think more creatively. All the cobwebs and dust and dead mice are just cleared away" (Nichols). As the laughter opens the mind, more solutions and opportunities appear. These solutions and opportunities serve as stepping stones towards one's final feat. Daniel Goleman, the author of Emotional Intelligence states laughing, "... seems to help people think more broadly and associate more freely, noticing relationships that might have eluded them otherwise-- a mental skill important not just in creativity, but in recognizing complex relationships and foreseeing the consequences of a given decision" (Goleman). So, not only does laughter establish creativity, it also forms a thoughtful creativity. Any school's learning, business's profits, and life's opportunities are sure to soar with these out of the box ideas sustained by common sense. The outcome of such is attainment. Certainly, laughter constructs a superior work community, which sequentially puts one on the path to triumph.
As specified in Daniel Pink's A Whole New Mind, laughter is crucial to success in school, work, and life because it diminishes stress, elevates health, and cultivates superior work environments. Every aspect of success may be improved upon by simply laughing. Whether it is giggling to kill stress hormones and produce endorphins, chuckling to reinforce an immune system, or guffawing to connect with one’s peers; laughter will prove to be America’s atomic bomb in this war against stress, bringing the individual and the nation into a lucrative and content state.
(
(
(
(photo courtesy of Clip Art). At work the little extra exercise can help one stay focused on a boring day, at school the extra exercise can help expand attention spans, and in life it can help one live to see their kid’s kids. Not only does cachinnating provide an anytime workout, it may be better than other exercises because it supplies a good flow of oxygen to the body, without having to think about it. One natural health author, Mike Adams says, "laughter increases oxygenation of your body at both the cellular and organ level. By laughing, you intake vast amounts of
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.