You've Got to Laugh: Why a Sense of Humour Helps in Dark Times

'I found this humerus' T-shirt
(Image by cafepress.com/mf/84622892/humerus_tshirt?productId=1104218916)   Details   DMCA

 Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas, authors of Humour, Seriously,  spent 5 years studying the power of humor: the message -  humor is an unappreciated, underused superpower. Humor makes us more resilient, creative and resourceful. One week into the pandemic lockdown, the Les Mis spoof of One More Day, performed by the Marsh family in Kent (“Have you seen my brother’s hair / Do I change my underwear?”) racked up millions of views. The public fell gratefully on videos from out-of-work sports commentators commentating on their dogs or unclogging the shower drain. Twitter came alive with memes.  Research shows that a four-year-old laughs 300 times a day; a 40-year-old 300 times every 10 weeks. Stress causes physical and emotional problems, laughter can alleviate stress, and make people healthier. (Maybe Randy Rainbow deserves an MD, especially for his  recent tour-de-force, "Sedition.")