The other day I cracked a joke about an article of clothing during a very tongue-in-cheek, easily readable, playful conversation. As expected, the funny received its intended response — laughter — from everyone around the table with the exception of one friend who reprimanded me with a hey-that’s-not-funny explanation of how important this piece of clothing actually was to the wearer. I mean, I agreed with her on every point, but, for the love… “lighten up, Frances!” It reminded me how important finding the funny in life is as we age,.

It’s actually a scientific fact that humor benefits the body and is an important key to better senior health outcomes. A March 2023 piece from the American Medical Association bears this out:

“The benefits of laughter include boosting the level of oxygen in the blood and the release of cortisol, endorphins and the immune system’s T-cells, Abenante said during “Chuckles, Chortle and Giggles: The Benefits of Laughter for Seniors,” a web-based seminar on the physical and mental benefits of laughter presented by Atlantic Health. “It’s hard to feel that stress when you’re laughing,” Abenante said. Laughter also boosts levels of dopamine and other stress-busting chemicals and hormones that can naturally help to lower anxiety and depression, added Abenante, who is a social worker specializing in working with older adults and their families. Laughter also works out the diaphragm and improves “cough efficacy,” which is important for people with asthma, bronchitis or other chronic lung issues to help “get things up and out,” she said.”

“Researchers at Vanderbilt University found that “genuine voiced laughter” causes a 10 percent to 20 percent rise in heart rate and calorie-burning energy expenditure above resting values, according to their study in the International Journal of Obesity. Other research on the value of laughter can be found in the Humor Research Library, compiled by the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor. The takeaway from most of the studies, however, is that the social benefit of laughter is among its most effective health benefits, Abenante said.”

If you Google humor and laughter and aging, there are all SORTS of articles, studies and reflections that pop up. It’s a thing. And the conclusion is usually the same: humor is healthy.

I remember some of my lowest caregiving management days — those times when bills didn’t get paid, the caregiver was super late and literally every wheel had fallen off the bus and rolled far, far away — those were not hilarious times! At all! (In fact, I PTSD-pitted a little thinking about it.) But it wasn’t anything a low dose of something ridiculous like 90-Day Fiance, or Housewives of Whatever County or a couple of glasses of cheap chard with a good friend didn’t pacify. When we can laugh, relate and let go, it’s good for all our aging systems — blood pressure, brain fatigue, stress, heartache, circulation all of it.

Geez, just laugh a little and find the redunkulousness in life! If we don’t — if we can’t brush sh** off, live in the levity and relate to each other’s rando life crap, the crap we ALL face at some point on our journey — we will be swamped by the seriousness of senior living.

So turn that frown upside down and honk your nose at your silly old self. Time to find start finding the funny and living life to its fullest.