Long before researchers studied the benefits of laughter, Scripture had already given us a clue.

Proverbs 17:22 says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Job 8:21 also speaks of God filling the mouth with laughter and the lips with shouts of joy. That does not mean laughter replaces prayer, counseling, medication, medical care, rest, treatment, or support. But it does mean joy has a role in healing. A cheerful heart is not pretending everything is fine. Sometimes it is choosing to let your soul experience a little light in the middle of what is real.

Laughter is not just something cute or entertaining. It has real effects on the body. According to Mayo Clinic, laughter can stimulate the heart, lungs, and muscles, increase endorphins released by the brain, activate and then calm the stress response, and support relaxation. Mayo Clinic also notes possible longer-term benefits, including immune support, pain relief, improved mood, and increased personal satisfaction. In other words, laughter is not just emotional.

It is physical. It can affect your breathing and relax your body. It can help lower stress and lift your mood.

It can create connection and can give your brain and nervous system a brief break from carrying so much. That matters because stress has a way of tightening everything — our muscles, our chest, our jaw, our thoughts, our patience, and our perspective. But laughter can loosen the stress we are carrying in our bodies.

Laughter is not denial. It is not saying, “Everything is fine,” when everything is obviously not fine. It is not ignoring grief, pretending away depression, minimizing trauma, or telling someone in pain to “just laugh more.” But laughter can live beside pain. Many of us have experienced this in seasons of grief. This past Memorial Day, many families honored and remembered loved ones who are no longer here. There may have been tears, quiet moments, pictures, graveside visits, prayers, and deep reflection.

But if your family is anything like mine, somewhere along the way, somebody probably told a funny story too. During Memorial Day weekend, we remembered some of Mom’s favorite sayings or the foods she liked to cook and eat. Most memorable was her favorite outfit that we could not stop her from wearing even though it was 3 sizes too big. We laughed about her and my father-in-love’s favorite sayings or the things they did as a couple that made everybody shake their head and laugh. In that moment, grief and laughter sat at the same table. That was not disrespectful, that was love.  

I have seen laughter help people get through some hard things. People laugh in hospital rooms, when they are caregivers and even while navigating illness. I’ve see families laugh while grieving and when the only other option would be to break down all the time. And no, laughter does not fix everything, but sometimes it helps us keep going.

There is even research looking at laughter therapy in serious health settings. A 2024 meta-analysis of laughter therapy among cancer patients found that laughter therapy, when added to routine care, showed benefits for relieving stress, depression, and anxiety, though the researchers noted that more rigorous studies are still needed. However, that lines up with what many of us already know from life: A good laugh can help lighten a heavy room. It can help people connect and remind us that we are still alive, still human, still capable of joy, even when life is not easy.

When we talk about mental health, we often talk about what we need to reduce such as stress., overwhelm, negative thoughts, isolation, and anxiety triggers. But we also need to ask what we need to add: more rest, support, connection, beauty, joy and laughter.  Your brain needs more than seriousness to survive hard seasons.

If laughter has been missing from your life, you may need to be intentional about bringing it back.

Here are a few ways to start:

·      Watch 10 minutes of clean comedy or a funny show.

·      Call or visit the person who always makes you laugh.

·      Save funny family stories and videos in your phone.

·      Follow one or two uplifting humor accounts.

·      Share a funny memory about someone you love.

·      Laugh gently at yourself when life does not go according to plan.

·      Turn off the heavy news cycle long enough to give your mind a break.

Sometimes we schedule everything except joy, but if stress has a regular appointment in your day, maybe laughter needs one too.

This week, I want you to try something simple. For the next seven days, pay attention to your laughter. Ask yourself:

Did I laugh today? What made me laugh? Who did I laugh with? Did my mood shift afterward?
Did my body feel more relaxed? Did I feel more connected to someone? Did I give myself permission to enjoy the moment?

You do not have to force it, just notice it. And if you realize you are going days without laughing, do not shame yourself, just take it as information. Maybe your spirit is tired or you have been carrying too much. Maybe joy has been crowded out by responsibility. Start small and aim for one real laugh a day. Not because laughter fixes everything, but because it reminds your brain and body that everything is not only heavy.

As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close, I want to remind you that caring for your mind is not only about managing what hurts. It is also about making room for what heals. Rest, support, truth, prayer, wise choices and connection heals and yes, sometimes laughter helps too.

So this week, do not wait until life gets easy to laugh again. Find the funny story and call the funny friend. Remember the loved one with warmth or watch something that makes you chuckle. Let your face soften, your shoulders drop, and let your spirit breathe. Because laughter may not erase the pain, but it can help your brain and body breathe while you carry it.

Blessings,

Dr. Janice