“You don’t stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing.” –Michael Pritchard. It has been shown that it is possible to help your senior loved one stay young at heart with daily laughter. Laughing goes a long way in making a senior loved one feel vibrant and connected to life. Laughter helps them to feel better about themselves, those around them, and to share their blessings with others.
We are always told that laughter is the best medicine. Research shows that adults only laugh about seventeen times a day. This may seem like a lot, but when compared to children who laugh about up to four hundred times a day, it is very low. Laughter not only helps to boost your immune system; it also can relieve pain. The laughter can distract your elderly loved one from any discomforts they may be feeling, even if just temporarily. Laughter, along with an active sense of humor, can help to protect you against a heart attack. The act of laughing releases endorphins into your system that are more powerful than the same amount of morphine.
Whenever possible, help to add humor to your loved one’s day. Try to encourage them to laugh every day. Subscribe them to daily emails with a Joke of the Day or read the comics in the newspaper. Sending funny memes from social media are really great ways to cause a chuckle. You could even look up some humorous videos on YouTube that make tickle their funny bone. Netflix tends to have lots of comedian specials that will liven up the mood! A caregiver from Senior Helpers of Chattanooga can help your loved one find the specials, videos, and social media jollies that interest them most!
If your loved one is more adventurous, and young at heart, perhaps playing a silly joke on them would invoke a laugh. Light-hearted pranks should induce some laughs. Laughter is good medicine and, in many cases, can relieve stress, worry and depression. A good hearty laugh alleviates feelings of loneliness and isolation. Laughter releases endorphins that can reduce the perception of pain and can even stimulate the immune system.
We have all heard the saying that laughter is the best medicine. When we are sick, we often look to our favorite TV shows, movies, books, or friends and family to lift our spirits. Studies are showing that searching for humor for comfort actually has some health benefits. Fifteen minutes of laughter can equal the benefits of two hours of sleep. Laughter can also improve circulatory and cardiovascular health. Laughing helps to relieve stress, lower blood pressure, increase memory and brighten moods.
Laughter really is the best medicine for a senior loved one, and unlike most medications, it does not come with a long list of unhealthy side effects. It may seem obvious that anything that makes you smile should make you feel better overall; but it’s so much more than that. Learning to laugh out loud is beneficial by improving health both emotionally and physically. While laughing might not be the ultimate cure to everything, it is a wonderful way to fight off diseases, improve heart health, and boost mood. When we feel good and share a chuckle with loved ones, we relieve stress and tend to feel closer to one another. When there’s laughter involved, there tends to be happy faces around; and that’s always a good thing.
The compassionate and affordable in-home senior care from Senior Helpers of Chattanooga can help to provide companionship and help families who don’t live nearby. Daily and weekly visits are available for a few hours to 24 hours a day in all areas of Chattanooga, Hixson, Cleveland, Ooltewah, Signal Mountain. Call 423-710-1500 for more information!