Wellness Seminar

• Laughter and Wellness

• Joanie White ARNP• Director, Office of Clinical Effectiveness

Objectives

• Discover the influence laughter and fun have on your health

• Lighthearted outlook can enrich your life

• Teach you some blonde jokes

Experience

• Think of the most fun you have:– Creative– Supportive– Joy– Connection– Belong

Sense of Humor

• Not the ability to tell jokes• Is the ability to find something funny • Form of communication• Can be learned

Humor

• Humor is not just an attractive trait, but an essential human need that must be satisfied in order to survive.

Laughter

• Is a vital, critical element for human survival.

• Traditionally we are told that laughter and play are not adult and not professional.

Humor

• Is a choice

• Look for chances to choose to laugh

•CHOOSE TO LAUGH

Did the Bride Choose to laugh?

Benefits of Laughter

• Releases endorphins• Decreases stress• Relaxes muscles of back• Deep breathing-happy macrophages• Improves posture

Benefits

• Decreases pain response

• Sleep better

• Resilience- able to withstand stress

Cardiovascular Events

Private Ryan• Blood vessels constricted

by 50%

• Effect lasted an hour

Comedy• Vasodilatation occurred

• Up to 24 hours

• Ten minutes of laughing reversed the constriction of stressful movie

Humor can help us deal with setbacks, disappointment…..

• People seek out ways to bring fun and whimsy into their lives.

Discover Your Strengths

• Theme of “Positivity”• Humor, quick to smile, on the lookout for

the positive in a situation.– Energy– Optimism– No matter what, it’s good to be alive

Workplace

• Help cope with change

• Increases job satisfaction

• Reduces sick days

• Shows care/concern

• Improves recruitment

• Increased flexibility

• Able to learn faster

• Increased innovation

• Increased creativity

• Improves retention

http://despair.com/wishes.html

http://despair.com/recognition.html

http://despair.com/insight.html

What if the hokey-pokey is really what it’s all about?