Laughter and music.
They’re two of our best sources for coping with COVID.
Laughing isn’t just a momentary diversion. Science (for those of us smart enough to believe in science) has shown that laughter sets into motion a physiological chain reaction that releases endorphins, boosts our immune system, relieves tension, and helps create bonding with other humans. Here’s the article.
As someone who has devoted his life to making people laugh (or at least tried to), I find this article very rewarding and comforting. I don’t have to feel guilty anymore that I didn’t become a doctor.
So feel free to watch comedy. My post tomorrow is on the launch of Peacock, NBC’s streaming service, and their focus on comedy. So scientists and TV executives agree there’s something very valuable about laughter. And when have those two ever agreed on anything?
The other source of comfort, researchers have found, is music. Lennox Hill Hospital in New York plays “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles when a patient is discharged or taken off a ventilator. Its message of hope and a brighter future resonates now more than ever.
So I ask you to take the next few minutes out of your day to listen to “Here Comes the Sun.” Hopefully it will make you feel better. And then take the next 150 hours and binge-watch CHEERS.
from By Ken Levine
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