Make ’em laugh – The health benefits of humour
When was the last time you laughed – I mean really laughed? Can you remember? What were you laughing about? Can you feel it? Are you smiling now just remembering how funny it was? I am almost certain that indeed you are smiling at both the memory, and the original moment and therein is the magic of humour and its capacity for cultivating wellbeing. In fact, humour is consistently “one of the five strengths most associated with life satisfaction and happiness (Niemec, 2018, Ch.6)” ensuring its place in our first five strengths series blogs.
Character strengths are those characteristics that are universally regarded as reflecting the best qualities that human beings can have (Niemec, 2018). As most of us agree that a sense of humour is desirable in others and that we enjoy having a laugh, it is therefore no wonder that our perception of happiness and life satisfaction are linked to how much humour we enjoy. Humour has the capacity to buffer us from stress, increase positive emotions and social connections, helps us see the positive side of things, makes us more socially attractive and even improves our physical health (Niemec & McGrath, 2019). In another study from 2006, Peterson, Park & Seligman, found that “recovery from a psychological disorder or serious illness was associated with elevated humour (Ruch & McGhee, 2014, p.179).”
So, while not only a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend your evening, it turns out watching your favourite sit-com may in fact have therapeutic benefits too. But there is more to cultivating and using humour than just watching a funny show. It is our capacity to be playful, to make fun, to lighten a tense mood and see the lighter side of things when times are challenging that will best serve us the protective benefits that come from an elevated mood and the experience of positive emotions. Allowing ourselves to notice and express humour is something we can all do to bring more humour to ourselves and others. It costs nothing, makes us feel good, can strengthen relationships, and make whatever we are doing more enjoyable. After all, is not the most wasted of days one where you have not laughed?
Here’s to you moving beyond.
Claire x
P.S. Want to cultivate your strengths in humour? Try this!
3 funny things
- Write down 3 funny things that happened each day for the next week.
- They may be things you did, someone else did, or something you found amusing and made you laugh.
- Reflect on why they amused you, how they happened and enjoy the moment again.
- At the end of the week reflect on how experiencing, noticing, and recalling these funny things made you feel. Have you enjoyed your week more than you might have otherwise?
Positive habit | Where will you plan for play, fun and build some humour into the next week?
Intervention adapted from: Niemec, R., M. (2018). Character Strengths interventions. A field guide for practitioners. Canada: Hogrefe.
References
Niemec, R., M. (2018). Character Strengths interventions. A field guide for practitioners. Canada: Hogrefe.
Niemec, R., M. & McGrath, R., E. (2019). The power of character strengths. Appreciate and ignite your positive personality. VIA Institute on Character: United States of America.
Ruch, W., & McGhee, P., E. (2014). Humour intervention programs. In A. C. Parkes & S. M. Schueller (Eds.), The Wiley Blackwell Handbook of Positive Psychological Interventions. (1e., pp.179-193). West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons Pty. Ltd.
baseline & beyond 