Laughter: The Best Medicine
(And a Great Workout for Your Face)
Keywords: laughter, benefits of laughter, stress relief, health benefits of laughter, improve mood, reduce stress, natural stress relief, laughter and health, laughter workout, Golden Girls quotes
Laughing is Basically the Human Equivalent of a Superpower
Whether you’re cracking up at the latest Brooklyn Nine-Nine episode or secretly chuckling over a cartoon your weird uncle sent you, laughter is doing you a world of good. It’s not just a stress-buster—it’s basically magic. Let’s break it down. As the iconic Rose Nylund from Golden Girls once said,
“My mother always used to say, ‘The older you get, the better you get… unless you’re a banana.’”
Well, just like bananas (sort of), we all need a little help to stay fresh, and laughter is a great way to do it. Turns out, laughing isn’t just fun—it’s basically a life hack.
Why Laughing is So Great
Laughter’s like a mini workout, but for your brain and body. When you laugh, you’re doing more than just enjoying a good joke. It boosts your intake of oxygen-rich air, giving your heart, lungs, and muscles a little extra love. That release of endorphins? Those are your brain’s feel-good chemicals, kicking in to make sure you know that yes, life’s still pretty awesome.
In Golden Girls terms, as Sophia would say, “You think you got it bad? I’m 80. I’ve seen everything. I’ve done everything. I’ve eaten everything. Let’s talk about stress.”
The science backs her up. Laughter not only activates your stress response, but also cools it down afterward. What’s left? A body and mind that feel more relaxed and way less tense.
Stress Relief From Laughter: Because You Can’t Just Punch Stress in the Face
Dad Joke: “Why don’t skeletons fight each other? They don’t have the guts.”
Laughter won’t solve all your problems (though it would make traffic less enraging), but there’s solid science behind why it helps.
The Short-Term Benefits of Laughing
Here’s why cracking up over a sitcom or a dumb joke is more than just entertaining:
- Chuckling Stimulates Your Organs: No, really! Laughing helps you breathe better and gets your heart pumping. It’s like cardio… but fun.
- Good Hearty Guffaws Ease Stress: Laughter first revs up your stress response and then cools it down, leaving you in a state of relaxation.
- Giddy Good Hearted Giggle: Releases body chemicals similar to a mental vacation.
- Sniggering Soothes Tension: Laughing is a great way to boost circulation and relax your muscles. Less tension = less stress.
In short, laughter is the perfect remedy for life’s minor (and sometimes major) stresses. And, as Dorothy from Golden Girls might say,
“It beats complaining!”
Long-Term Benefits: The Gift That Keeps on Giving
Laughter doesn’t just work in the moment—it’s investing in your future, one giggle at a time:
Your Immune System Wants In:
Laughter gives your immune system a high five. Positive thoughts trigger neuropeptides, which are basically little bodyguards fighting off stress and illness.
Bye, Bye Pain:
Forget popping painkillers—laughter’s got you covered. Your body releases natural painkillers when you laugh, making Netflix comedies practically medicinal.
Happier Relationships:
Laughter helps you connect with others and makes dealing with life’s curveballs easier. Who doesn’t want to hang out with someone who knows how to crack a good joke?
Depression Schmepression:
Anxiety and depression don’t stand a chance when laughter’s in the ring. Laughing boosts your mood and self-esteem, even on tough days. Here is Betty White and Joan Rivers having some fun and enjoy how encouraging and fun she is what great charisma.
Final Thought: Let Yourself Laugh
As Rose once observed, “We don’t have much time left, you know. We could die tomorrow!”
Let’s not waste time on being stressed out! Whether it’s through watching Golden Girls reruns, cracking a joke with friends, or even just finding humor in the little things, make laughter a part of your daily routine. You’ll feel the benefits instantly.
“Go to sleep, sweetheart. Pray for brains.” -Dorothy
“People waste their time pondering whether a glass is half empty or half full. Me, I just drink whatever’s in the glass.” -Sophia
“It’s like we say in St. Olaf—Christmas without fruitcake is like St. Sigmund’s Day without the headless boy.” -Rose
“It’s like life is a giant weenie roast, and I’m the biggest weenie.” -Rose
“Tell me the truth: Do these glasses make me look stupid?” -Rose
“Why do blessings wear disguises? If I were a blessing, I’d run around naked.” –Sophia
To Sophia: “My mistake. I thought since you look like Yoda you were also wise.” –Blanche
Housing for Mom or Dad are easy to find with Golden Placements:
Essentially, Golden Placements helps you manage resources and takes care of the leg work for finding your best living situation so you can enjoy your best Golden Years. In addition, GPS has ideas gathered over years of experience by being Senior Life Specialists. Portland Senior Living and their various options from our Golden Girls specialists are IS NO COST. Community living and finding the right living choice for you or your loved one is important. We help you navigate the details. To conclude, here are more resources to help you learn more about our services:
- You can call us today or continue to read more about Long Term Care Planning with our friends at ACL
- Oregon Defines and Describes ADLs for us legally here: Long Term Care
- Golden Placements RESOURCES to find CARE Services
- Quality locations for you Senior Loved One with the Golden Girls
- Senior Living Near Me – Adult Home Placement
- Explore Residential Care Homes for Elderly “near me”
Diane Delaney, Placement Specialist Extraordinaire
Delaney is the founder of Golden Placement Services. She began this business with a healthy dose of compassion for helping families make educated decisions regarding senior placement. Focused to relieve stress in uncertain senior housing crucial moments. Diane brings about loving change of lifestyle with grace. Additionally, Diane is an accomplished executive manager, Director of Operations in senior housing. Emphatically, she enjoys sharing her experience. Diane enjoys writing about the full spectrum of the transition process for seniors and family members. Read more from Senior Placement Specialist Diane: Ultimate Senior Living Resource Guide >>
LaVona Tomberlin, Senior Placement Specialist
Tomberlin brings a high level of education and experience to you as your Senior Placement Specialist at GPS. She loves writing about improving the lives of Elderly working in private care and in-home care for over 36 years. Geriatrics, Memory Care. In addition, she holds Master of Psychology Behavioral Health with the goal of advocating for those who needed a voice. Basically, LaVona believes helping the families make good decisions. She can help relieve stress in uncertain times making life worthwhile! Learn More: Read articles from Placement Specialist LaVona: End of Life Transition a heart felt Guide >>
Stephanie Brubaker, Senior Placement Specialist
steph.goldenplacements@gmail.com | 971-263-8533 Stephanie got her start working as an administrator for Golden Placement Services. It served her well as she worked in sales and marketing while living in Austin, TX. Now that she is back in Oregon she’s excited to take the plunge and work alongside the Golden Girls as a placement specialist. She feels lucky to receive her training from experienced mentors, her mother Diane, and co-worker LaVona. Stephanie looks forward to being a part of the family whose main objective is to help your family through senior housing options with empathy, integrity, and compassion.
