There is an old saying that 'Laughter is the best medicine' and I feel that it is very true. I worked in a clerical post, at our local hospital, for nearly eight years and can testify to the health benefits of laughter. I have worked on some wards, with such very sad cases, but the patients who retain their sense of humour always seem to fair much better. On a callous note, if they are not going to survive their illness anyway, at least it must be better to finish laughing for as long as you can. After all if you are not going to get well those last few days, weeks, months or years will undoubtedly be tough. Being able to laugh occasionally must be better than getting bitter, sad and hateful.

Laughter, to my mind, does have physical effects on the body. When you genuinely laugh your blood starts racing and your heart pumping excitedly, and to my mind it is almost as good as a body work-out. If my husband and I, watch a really funny programme together, I can feel myself going almost hysterical. The laughter then rubs of on each other and the more one laughs the more the other does etc. etc. As you feel yourself shake with laughter you can feel your muscles working, not least the facial ones. I should think laughter is especially good exercise for facial muscles, and all those tears shed in laughter must benefit your eyes and tear ducts. Laughing helps produce those feel good hormones and chemicals and can leave you feeling in much better spirits and happy for quite a while.

When as a group we all share laughter, be it colleagues at work, the family at home or as an audience we all sort of bond. For example at work it can lift the mood of others and make for a happier day. Laughter definitely is contagious.

As I said at the beginning, the old adage that 'Laughter is the best medicine' is certainly well founded. Often, in patients who have suffered depressive or nervous disorders, being able to laugh again is a sign that they are on the road to recovery. I think that we should all try to share a joke, and a laugh, with someone each day. It helps your sanity, does you good, cheers people up and stops you taking life, and yourself, too seriously. We all need to remember that from time to time.

Learn more about this author, Ethel Smith.
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