Assigment .Apa seven . All instructions attached.

Why Laughter Is the Best Medicine

By Michael Fisher

I. INTRODUCTION

1. Narration/Attention-Getter: Everybody always says that an apple a day keeps the doctor away.

2. Common Ground: And of course, that may be true, but why have we never heard anybody say that a laugh a day keeps the doctor away?

3. Credibility Statement: Personally, I love to laugh and intentionally incorporate it into my everyday life.

4. Thesis Statement/Central Idea: Today I am going to tell you why laughter is the best medicine.

5. Preview of Main Points: Laughter leads to a healthier physical, mental, and social lifestyle.

Transition: First, let’s start with physical health.

II. BODY

1. Main Point #1: Laughter improves physical health.

a. Many feel that if there is no pain, there is no gain to physical health.

b. I feel that if there is no grin, there is no win.

c. It has been scientifically proven that laughter can improve your physical health.

i. According to Lee Berk (associate professor, Allied Health Studies and Physical Therapy Departments, Loma Linda University, California), the benefits of laughter in an experiment that he conducted, in which people watch 20-minute video clips of comedic television programs, were equal to those of a moderate 20-minute workout.

1. Exercising comes a long way to make you feel stronger and more energized.

2. Trying one of Berk’s “laughersizes” can yield similar benefits.

ii. Laughing also helps prevent disease and infection.

1. Laughing aids in protecting the heart and circulatory system and boosts our immune systems.

2. One interesting example is in Berk’s research:

a. If an expectant mother laughs an ample amount during pregnancy, breast milk will be of better quality.

b. Her newborn infant’s immune system is helped through breastfeeding.

c. This is because, according to helpguide.org (a well-trusted nonprofit resource for help in resolving health challenges), laughing helps decrease stress hormones while increasing immunity cells and infection-fighting antibodies.

iii. Laughing also causes a release of endorphins from your body.

1. Endorphins are a chemical that your body contains and emits when it needs to physically feel good.

2. This can even alleviate pain for brief periods of time.

Transition: Now that we have covered how grinning is winning for physical health, let’s take a look at how turning that frown upside down can improve your mental well-being.

2. Main Point #2: Laughter improves mental well-being.

a. Laughter has been proven to reduce stress and alleviate anxiety.

i. By doing so, you’ll be able to stay focused on a task for a longer period of time.

ii. This will prevent the feeling of becoming overwhelmed and needing to multi-task by finishing five things all at once.

iii. For example, this will help you finish your homework on time, get that job promotion you’ve been waiting for, or just maintain personal and professional relationships.

iv. It is also naturally impossible to harbor negative emotions while you are laughing.

b. One way to laugh easily and get that peace of mind that you have long awaited is through laughter yoga.

i. Laughter yoga is a method of mental cleansing where you pair breathing exercises with self-initiated laughter.

ii. According to Angela Haupt, US News & World Report, who has also been a laughter yoga instructor since 2007, activities at laughter yoga include child-like playfulness and Visa laughter.

iii. In Visa laughter, you open up ridiculously high credit card bills that are fake and just laugh at them because you don’t actually need to pay them.

c. By doing exercises like those, you have the opportunity to look on the brighter side of negative situations.

i. This will help you in the long run when you are faced with a difficult dilemma that might require you to make an even more difficult decision.

ii. Deborah Williams, who has been a laughter yoga instructor for many years for many different types of people, states, “At first I thought it was a goofy idea, but since I started doing it, I react to things in a more lighthearted way. It helps to brush away some of the gray clouds, and it’s a fun thing to do.”

Transition: Last, I want to emphasize how laughter helps you become a more positive, openly sociable person.

3. Main Point #3: Laughter improves social lifestyle.

a. Social health is something that not many people take into consideration through-out life.

i. It is actually one of the most important aspects of life.

ii. According to helpguide.org, life can easily be improved by laughter.

b. Laughter helps to neutralize communication during conflict.

i. You will have the ability to forget what caused the conflict to arise, such as judgments or opinions, while you are trying to solve the conflict, instead of just making harsh or cruel remarks in return.

ii. When communication is more open and direct, it will be more calm and collected.

c. Laughter is also contagious, so it will attract others to you.

i. Humans and even animals are more naturally tempted to gravitate toward you while you are laughing because it is releasing positive energy from your body.

ii. They might run away from you if you emitted negative energy from your body by not laughing.

d. There are a countless number of ways to conjure up laughter.

i. You can have a game night with your friend.

ii. You can go see a funny movie.

iii. You can go to comedy clubs.

iv. You can play with your pet.

v. You can partake in simple fun activities such as crafts and adventures.

vi. You can go to a laughter yoga session as previously mentioned.

e. Laughter helps promote teamwork and bonding skills.

i. One story that I read from helpguide.org is the perfect indicator that when you can laugh together, you can bond and work together more effectively.

ii. This story was about a man named Roy, who really enjoyed playing golf.

1. He started to overanalyze all of his mistakes because the players that he was playing with were affecting his attitude since they were all very serious about the game.

2. When he started to play with people who were more lighthearted about it, he was able to score better without trying harder, and he stopped being so critical of himself.

3. He was able to have more fun and bond with those people better.

Transition/Signal Conclusion: There is ample evidence on why laughter is the best medicine, so let me review the highlights.

III. CONCLUSION

1. Review Thesis/Central Idea and Main Points: Laughter contributes to an overall healthy lifestyle physically, mentally, and socially.

a. A 20-minute “laughersize” will provide you with benefits equivalent to a moderate 20-minute workout.

b. Laughter yoga will help you to mentally erase any stressors or anxieties that you may be facing.

c. It has been proven that when you can laugh together, you can work together.

2. Closing Memorable Statements: Laughter is more than a simple smile from ear to ear and a few chuckling noises.

a. It’s a means of achieving that picture-perfect life that everyone hopes to have.

b. It is a means of being healthy, happy, and wholesome.

References

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