Isn’t it funny how we create special moments, holidays, and traditions throughout our lives? If I were to spend too much time pondering how and why these traditions were set in motion, I am sure it would ruin part of the season’s magic for me. An example of this is the tradition of New Year’s resolutions— how many of us make them? A better question might be how many of us keep them or even remember our well-intentioned resolutions of years past? At first I thought it would be easy to remember my past New Year’s resolutions, so I sat down with pen and paper to write a long list of my personal resolution triumphs. To my dismay and disappointment, I could not recall a single one. I am sure that I have made many resolutions over the years: eat healthy, lose weight, get into shape, and cut out certain foods.
New Year’s resolutions have been around a very long time, dating back to 153 B.C., which is a little further back in history than I would like to cover in this column. In the early 1900s, we really started the New Year’s Eve celebration as we know it today. Nonetheless, the whole point of New Year’s resolutions is about looking forward to something better than we had yesterday; it’s about starting anew with the hope of a brighter, healthier tomorrow.
Here are the most common New Year’s resolutions I have heard recently: QUIT SMOKING, GET FIT, LOSE WEIGHT, GET ORGANIZED, GET OUT OF DEBT, ENJOY LIFE, GET A JOB, and VOLUNTEER. Actually, I like the sound of all of them, and who wouldn’t? They are all worthy routes to better health, better wealth, and better community. So, what do we need to do to stay true to our self promises and bring new joys, wealth, and happiness to our new year? I am glad you asked!
As I sat down to reflect on 2009, set my goals, and make my New Year’s resolution for 2010, I couldn’t help but laugh and that’s when the idea came to me. Laughter may very well hold the key to many of our successes, mentally and physically. It is estimated that the average child laughs 400 times a day, and by my calculations that’s a laugh every two and a half minutes. WOW! What happened in our journey to adulthood that squelched the laughter—robbing us not only of the quick pick-me-ups along the way but of all the many long lasting benefits that laughter has to offer?
Studies have shown that laughter improves oxygen in the blood, stimulates the heart and lungs, and increases endorphins (our natural painkiller) to the brain. A good ol’ belly laugh will heat up our stress responses, increasing our heart rate and blood pressure. When we cool down from the laugher, we’re more relaxed. The stimulation that laughter produces can soothe stomach aches and tension, reducing physical symptoms of stress. Laughter can also help us handle difficult situations a bit easier, decreasing depression and brightening our outlook on life.
In the coming months I will devote an entire column to the health benefits of laughter, which may very well be the link that gives us the power, incentive, and motivation to keep our sights on the things that are truly important, such as building friendships, improving our health, and exercising. In the meantime, think about making your New Year’s resolution something to laugh about. You might be surprised to find that a little laughter may hold the key to a brighter, healthier tomorrow.
Howard Baker, RN BSN
For questions, comments, or suggestions on topics you want to read about please email me at: howard@howardsbaker.com
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