PLAtime box

Aluminum foil “duckie”! Created by LK

Weekend Fun: Go on a laughter scavenger hunt ( with or without a buddy). Meander through a book store, antique store, or boutique and see how many things make you smile or laugh in 15 minutes. Take pictures of at least 5. If you have time, visit several shops each for 15-30 minutes. When you arrive home, select your favorite snack and arrange what you have collected in order of family laughter. If you went with a buddy, share with each other. Then take a moment to examine if you respond more to word play, nature humor, social humor, etc. How much does sarcasm draw you in? See if you can notice a difference in your body with sarcastic material. Add your favorites to your lists from earlier this week and make note of which shops had most humor so you can visit them on a hard day for some doses of laughter.

Tuesday’s Tool: Laughter! We can be deceived into keeping laughter out of some of the scenarios where it is most beneficial. Yes, appropriateness must be taken into account, but when sickness is mild or prolonged, laughter must be reintroduced i@tot the care plan. Deep belly laughter aids the lymph system in pumping out toxins, supporting immune function, and oxygenating the blood. It strengthens core muscles for support and assisting decreasing fall risk. Cognitively, it activates more parts of the brain than other emotions and socially, it bonds patients and their caregivers forming team attitudes. For years, laughter doses have been included in care plans for childhood sickness and broken bone injuries but laughter is even more crucial for longer term diagnoses like dementia, Parkinson’s and recovery from brain injury. While laughter is beneficial, particular forms increase these things while mockery and sarcasm actually diminish these. In our current culture, we are honing sarcasm and actually weakening our true humor while also being more attuned to fear and grief through social media. This leads us into more moments of breath-holding, brain and muscle atrophy, and increases sickness which perpetuates the lessening of laughter. Tomorrow we will examine some ways to elicit healthy laughter and build our resilience though humor!