Laughter Is Essential For Solid Mental Health

It is very easy to get caught up in all the things we have to do on a daily basis. I schedule my days with many necessary things.

My life improved significantly when I learned to pencil in time for fun and laughter. In this episode I share some of the sources I use to get my recommended daily intake of fun.

If you are overworked and fun deprived, please check out this episode.

00:20

Good evening and welcome to my humble podcast abode. I am Cocoa Griot, that 50 something single mom who enjoys sharing about life, love, and a plethora of other topics. At first glance the title of this episode might seem a little strange, but trust me, there is a method to my madness. I am a chronic scheduler. I wonder if when I was in my mother's womb, I decided to be born at 4:22pm so my dad would not be tied up in five o'clock traffic getting to the hospital. I arrived eight days before Christmas, so I would not have to share my birthday marquis with a major holiday. You know I'm almost embarrassed to show anyone the calendar in my phone, because it is so OCD by the way, I really think those letters should be CDO, they're not alphabetical and that always bothers me. So on my calendar there are meetings, there's appointments, there's bill pay reminders, you name it. But a few entries might surprise you. I am so routinized, I have to schedule fun. Let me tell you it sounds a little wacky, but it makes such a huge difference in how I feel at the end of every day. In fact, laughter and fun is my antidote for the daily grind. So on days that are filled with meetings, vicarious trauma, and unpleasant interactions and Scotty beating me up is not an option. Psych, I didn't go anywhere. I make time for laughter. I'm going to share something I do every night before I go to bed because it helps me to unwind and relax. I take time to laugh. So, this is not just me who believes this is important. The Mayo Clinic cites that laughter has many short term and long term effects. Please allow me to take you on a geek trip for a moment. I promise we will not be in the Twilight Zone for long, or will we?

02:16

Okay I'm silly. Let's seriously talk about why we need fun, something in my brain is telling me that does not sound right as a sentence, but I'm kind of moving on with it anyway I'm committed. So let's talk about the short term effects of a good laugh. You know, a good laugh is going to enhance your intake of oxygen rich, air stimulate your heart, lungs and muscles and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain. That hearty laugh also fires up and it cools down your stress response. It can increase and decrease your heart rate and blood pressure, The end result, a good relaxing feeling. Laughter can stimulate your circulation, and muscle relaxation, both of which just leaves you with that good feeling of being relaxed. Let's look at the long term effects. Laughter is not just a quick flash in the pan. It's also got some great long term effects. You know negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. Look, I don't know about you but right now I'm trying to get as much as immunity as I can. By contrast, positive thoughts can actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more serious illnesses, now told you I was getting geeky. So laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations, and it can help connect you with other people. I know I'm much more drawn to people who are laughing, than people who are cutting onions with tissues, Right? So many people have experienced depression sometimes that's kind of a chronic illness. Laughter can help lessen depression and anxiety, and make you feel happy! I don't know about you, but I love being happy.

03:52

Before I share some of my favorite before bed laughs, I want to acknowledge the sponsor for tonight's episode. Today's episode is brought to you by Fulton, a modern brand of arch support. Fulton launched the most comfortable, supportive and sustainable insoles on the planet. Fulton insoles have a deep heel cup and comfortable arch support that aligns your body from head to toe. They are made using sustainable materials like vegan cactus leather and cork, allowing them to mold to the shape of your arch and provide customized support. They are also shock absorbing reducing impact on the body, and are lined with natural foam to make them extra comfortable. If you are on your feet constantly insoles are the way to go. I love the difference I feel at the end of the day because my feet are not in pain from continuous walking. Fulton is offering our listeners ten dollars off your next purchase at walkfulton.com by using the code POD10 that's soce P-O-D 10 for $10 off at walkfulton. com. Check out the website in the show notes to see how Fulton can support you. You see what they did there. So back to the topic at hand.

04:59

This probably comes as no surprise, but I enjoy listening to podcast. Sometimes I will revisit my shows, especially the episode Cocoa's Most Embarrassing Moments. If you have not listened to that episode, please do. It is filled with moments to make you chuckle. You know when I start to get all high self esteemy and stuff like that I listen to that show and it reminds me of how human I am. Another bedtime treat I enjoy is watching YouTube videos of some of my favorite comedians. This is a great way to get quick laughs without committing to watching an entire comedy show. Sometimes my window for fun is only about 10 minutes, I will share a few names of my favorite comedians that I enjoy with you, but not my entire list of lineup of comedians. I have a few favorites that are not for the squeamish. Don't judge me. So Michael Jr will crack you up if you find this video about his Best Hair Practical Joke. Anjelah Johnson first captured my attention on MAD TV when she played the role of Bon Qui Qui. Anjela has a YouTube channel with a significant amount of content to keep you laughing, a great episode is No, You Cannot Use My Toothbrush. Preacher Lawson is a funny guy, please check out his video on My Mom Bought Me a Race Car Bed in High School. Now, I'm going to really expose my inner nerd with the last source I look to to when I'm searching to fill my fun quotient. I love corny kid jokes, these jokes are so bad, they are actually pretty good. Let me share a few of my favorites. And I want to reiterate that whole no judgment thing right? So, first one. What is always spelled wrong in a dictionary?

06:35

The word wrong, get it? I love the fact that I can program people to laugh at my jokes and if you guys don't think they're funny. Okay, I'm gonna try one more. Why would the shrimp share his treasure? Because he was a little shellfish. So if you've not visited my website cocoagriotscorner.com, please do. Please click on the contact link on my website and send me a topic you would like to hear for this podcast. So thanks for listening, and as always, I wish you good health, good fortune and a good night, Cocoa Griot out.

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