Issue #348: Find Your Funny
Good morning. It’s Tuesday, May 28th.
Stat of the Day
The amount you can lower your cortisol level from just a single bout of laughing. (source)
Learn
Seriously Laugh
Whenever I think back to college my mind is filled with positive thoughts. But it wasn’t always awesome - there were the 6am bike rides through snow to my part-time job as a lifeguard, the all-nighters before finals, and the stress of having enough cash to pay for a cab home from a night out.
But I rarely think of those times - instead my memory is filled with all the laughing. Something that started to happen less and less as we get older.
Becoming an adult means living in a world that’s a lot more serious.
By 23 most of us feel the weight of independence and the sense that to be successful we have to start taking ourselves a lot more seriously. So we stop laughing.
But laughing lowers our cortisol (see Stat of the Day). It raises our endorphins and our serotonin levels so we maintain balanced hormones. It’s such a powerful force to manage pain and boost our immune health that it’s a real tool for cancer patients.
Not only that - multiple studies show it increases our longevity:
A five-year study with 17,000 volunteers (age 40+) in Japan found that laughing less than 1x per month doubled the risk of dying compared to those that laugh 1x per week or more.
A Norwegian study of 15 years with 53,000 participants showed that having a sense of humor increased lifespan by 8 years.
Now to be clear - there is probably a ton of correlation here. So while the laughing undoubtedly improves our health, there is a healthy bias for people that laugh more to begin with.
But laughing is just like a muscle - ignore it and it withers away, use it and watch it grow.
This doesn’t mean you should always turn on the latest Netflix stand-up special or Tom Brady roast for a good laugh. It’s more about having a sense of humor and a levity to life.
“When we refuse to take ourselves so seriously, we relieve the stress standing in the way of serious work, create more meaningful connections with our colleagues, and open our minds to more innovative solutions.”
The things people talk about most when facing the end of their life -
Boldness (tackling fear)
Authenticity (being true to yourself and others)
Presence (living the current moment)
Joy (making life fun)
Love (truly connecting with others)
All of these are reinforced through laughter.
Being silly isn’t silly. It makes life way more fun - and will probably make it longer too.
Try
Find Your Funny
I’m not that silly - but the older I get I wonder why the hell I’m not.
Find just a couple of moments a day where you can bring more levity.
Trust me - no one is watching. Be more of a kid when it comes to how to approach your day - seek out opportunities that are fun or funny and let the laughs come out. Even if it just starts as a smile, it will still make you feel good.
If you’re struggling to figure out your style of funny - here’s a quiz from the book, “Humor, Seriously”.
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Laugh
Another Laugh
So we established laughing’s important - hopefully this gets you another laugh for today.
Like it? Then maybe get lost in the YouTube rabbit hole for a few minutes to get some more laughs in
Don’t? Then go find your funny!
In the News
Lessons of a Centenarian: This founder of a wellness resort (in 1940!) is still going strong at 102. Her secret? No worries. (Fortune)
Improve Your Sex Life: Sex is exercise - and more exercise helps increase performance. Try these other exercises to improve your sexual health. (NYTimes)
What is Fatigue Resistance?: Researchers may have identified the fourth dimension of endurance beyond VO2 max, running economy, and lactate threshold. (Outside)
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Why Thrive25
We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 3-5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.
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To health!
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25, Inc. does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.