Laughter Really Is Good For Us

Submitted by tonyplant on May 5, 2006 - 15:03.

It's World Laughter Day on Sunday and I'm running an event in my local park. A study by Cambridge University recently reported on behavioural changes that add to our longevity:

 

• giving up smoking means an extra five years
• moderate exercise adds three years
• eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day adds three years.

The study neglected to mention that there are studies that suggest that happiness (including the sense that life offers meaning and engagement as well as pleasure) adds up to nine extra years of life. This finding was reported by the study that researched Alzheimer's disease among 678 nuns: the findings of many papers indicate that positive emotions are correlated with survivor rates. The study began in 1986: researchers traced the nun population to the early 1900s. Of the least cheerful nuns, starting from age 30, only 34 percent lived to be 85, and 11 percent lived to age 94. Of the most cheerful, 90 percent lived to age 85, and 54 percent lived to 94, starting at age 30. In a paper examining Positive Emotions In Early Life And Longevity the researchers concluded that:

Positive emotions experienced early in life predicted longevity more than 60 years later.

At 9 years, the benefits of positive emotion outweigh the negative effects of obesity, smoking or alcoholism.

 

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Laughing With The Fun Federation

Submitted by tonyplant on January 30, 2006 - 12:12.

With a slight blush, I bring you the latest announcement from The Fun Federation. There is an open invitation to the event; for further information check with Hannah Merriman.

The Fun Fed has the delight of bringing you fully trained Laughter Yoga practitioner Tony Plant to our next play session. Tony is going to lead us through an evening of laughter to wake up the heart, invigorate the body and soothe the mind.

 

Laughter Yoga combines simple relaxation and healthy breathing practices from Yoga with playful exercises to induce healthy, hearty, hilarious laughter. Sharing an evening of laughter with a group of unknowns not only offers an oasis of joyful madness within our busy lives, but research has also shown that laughter is a great natural way to reduce stress, take exercise (it’s like internal jogging), boost immune systems, encourage positivity and create wonderful new relationships with others.

Grumps and gigglers alike – all are welcome. Come along and enjoy the delight of mindless, mindful silliness.

When: Tuesday 7th February, 6.30 – 8.30 pm. Prompt start.

Where: 13-17 Rosemont Rd (5 mins walk from Finchley Rd tube and Finchley Rd and Frognal BR station

Cost: Donations basis.

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Laughter in the Park

Submitted by tonyplant on January 22, 2006 - 18:23.

At the end of my Sunday stroll I dropped in on a Social Entrepreneur who runs the cafe in the local park. We had an interesting chat between the times when he was cleaning around and serving his customers.

I was delighted to be offered the cafe as a venue for running future Laughter in the Park sessions. I’m very pleased about this as I have previously attended and enjoyed laughter sessions in Regent’s Park and other similar venues in London that offer a suitable bandstand. Although we have a bandstand in Harlow it is not in suitable condition for use by the general public and has the added (albeit picturesque) disadvantage of having a rill running very close to it. The last time that I enquired about using the bandstand for a voluntary event I was instructed to put together a Health and Safety Risk assessment. Now, that’a pretty much like telling me to look at a bare field and assess its crop potential. I have no background in agronomics or Health And Safety and any assessment that I made would have been pure guesswork rather than based on informed principles. So, the planned Laughter in the Park events didn’t happen.

The events will need to be scheduled for times when the cafe is not in use so that will affect the audience that can attend. I’d like to think that young people could attend but homework and other obligations would probably preclude family events for weekday evenings. I’m going to think some more about what I can offer on weekdays evenings or at weekends and with what sort of regularity.

Copyright 2006, Tony Plant Happystance Project

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