After all, laughter is the best medicine

LAUGHTER comes in many forms: the giddy giggle, the mild chuckle, the gusty guffaw, the sarcastic “ha!”

Its meaning is just as varied, signalling everything from amusement to discomfort and disdain. For researchers, understanding how our brain interprets this complex behaviour is serious business. Yes, people are actually paid loads of money to research this stuff.

Every day we are faced with varying degrees of stress and challenging situations.

And, as time goes on, as we get older, relaxation and laughter can slow down the ageing process.

We are bombarded with information relating to weight loss, diets, exercise and such like. But little is said about the huge health benefits of laughter.

This is probably because of the lack of understanding by the masses . . . up to this point!

Over the years, while attending many conferences, I have been party to such a discussion that left me convinced that the benefits of humour and being around uplifting people can add years to our lives, reduce the need for anti-depressants and keep our brains active for much longer.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could get laughter on prescription? After all, laughter is the best medicine. Unless, of course, you are diabetic. Then, insulin works better.