In a world that's filled with turmoil and chaos, it's sometimes hard to find a reason to smile or laugh. But, as psychotherapist Padraig O'Morain explained on RTÉ Radio 1's Drivetime, it's even more important to crack a smile and share a laugh these days. (This piece includes excerpts from the conversation which have been lightly edited for length and clarity - full discussion can be heard above).
O'Morain believes smiling and laughing can get us through the daily grind. "It's a question of resilience and of giving yourself the chance to get through things in the best shape", he says. "If we can have humour and laughter and lightness, that does help us to get through.
"Obviously, you would have some cop on about when to and when not to but, by and large, you'll find laughter and smiling work. I've often noticed if one goes to a funeral, to take a not funny topic, that people are telling little jokes or they're telling funny stories about the person who died.
It's also physically good for you too. "It reduces stress and the amount of cortisol in your system too, which helps to regulate blood pressure and reduce inflammation. Adrenaline calms the nervous system and calms the heart system so it does have these particular benefits that are real and seen and measurable."
But it's how smiling and laughter can change your mood which is the most beneficial effect of all. "It can help you to lift your head above the waters of gloom if you like, and especially at times when things are very difficult. It's not a question of disrespecting the things that are going on in the world or in a person's life, but it's talking about how do you get yourself through this in good shape and get other people through it in good shape. It is often tension relief often. You will see people in situations where there's a lot of stress going on, like in a workplace, and there will be a lot of laughter as well."
There's also evidence of how laughter therapy can work in some clinical situations. "Professor Rose Anne Kenny from St. James Hospital mentions in her book Age Proof that laughter therapy works for patients with depression. Now, she's not saying that just have a laugh and you'll be over your depression, nothing like that, but it has a contribution to make for some people, maybe not for everybody.
"Depression is something that we don't, in my opinion, really understand. I think it's quite mysterious, but laughter and smiling can help to lift people up for a little while. That's a big help for somebody who is suffering depression, especially as laughter is often not necessarily about the things you're thinking about while you're depressed. It might be comedy or something like that."
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The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
