Health/Happiness
Studies Show Laughter Is Good Medicine So This Comedy Therapy Might Be Just What The Doctor Ordered
These addictive shows are just the prescription you need.
Sometimes I get so sick of myself.
I can’t stand being in my head for one more second.
I get tired of rehashing my issues and problems, being on the same old merry-go-round of rumination.
Yes, if you want to work through your “stuff,” you have to revisit it. You have to face it and process it, to let it go.
But what about when you’ve had just about enough of yourself?
When all you want is to lighten up?
Because laughter does more than just give you crow’s feet, it’s actually been proven to have both long and short-term benefits.
A good laugh:
- Enhances your intake of oxygen, which stimulates your heart, lungs, and muscles
- Increases endorphins released by your brain
- Activates then cools down your stress response by increasing and decreasing your heart rate and blood pressure, which creates a relaxed feeling.
- Stimulates circulation, then promotes relaxation, helping reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.
- Combat the negative thoughts that manifest chemical reactions that decrease your immunity.
- Release neuropeptides that fight stress and potential illnesses.
- Eases pain by prompting the body to produce its own natural painkillers.
- Helps you connect with others.
- Helps reduce depression and anxiety
- Makes you feel happier.
With so many reasons to indulge in this good medicine, why not get going on these binge-worthy comedies you can overdose on when you need a break.
If you want to feel better with a bit of laughter therapy, here’s my prescription:
Horrible Histories (Amazon Prime)
This British children’s show mixes history, music, and sketch comedy.
It’s got the same feel as all your favorite silly British comedies but with an educational edge.
The vignettes are so fun they’re like intellectual potato chips — satisfying, mental morsels, easy to consume, and moreish.
They’re also a good reminder that life’s always been tough throughout history, and nobody’s ever had it easy.
An especially timely message right now.
They’re history lessons, wrapped in fun, and steeped in that tasty British humor we love so much.
Think Monty Python meets Schoolhouse Rock — addictive and so cleverly done that you won’t even realize it’s a kid’s show or how much you’re learning.
Storybots (Netflix)
Here’s another gem made for kids but excellent for adults as well.
It’s the only show I watch with the toddlers. Some of them are really, really interesting.
It might be a stretch to watch this on your own (or maybe not), but if you have kids, you’re exhausted and just want to snuggle up and watch something you’ll enjoy too, this is the ticket.
Like horrible histories, it’s an educational show.
It takes complex concepts such as. “How do people catch a cold?” (very timely right now) or “How do cell phones work?” and breaks it down into understandable, entertaining chunks.
The music is so good and the sketches so funny — both really high quality, that it’s a pleasure to watch even as an adult.
You can watch them over and over and learn something new every time.
It’s no wonder they’re so good. The first season features guest stars such as Jay Leno, Whoopi Goldberg, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Kevin Smith, Garfunkel and Oates, Tim Meadows, and Chris Parnell.
I’ve learned more than a few things that I didn’t know from that show.
Drunk History (Comedy Central)
This is another educational series, albeit more adult than the other ones.
It’s just as it sounds.
It’s actors and celebrities getting drunk and reciting history, which in turn gets acted out by more actors and celebrities who lip-sync to their narration.
It’s pretty freaking funny most of the time.
It was created by Derek Waters and Jeremy Konner, who, along with Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, is the show’s executive producers.
Bad Lip Reading (YouTube)
In these videos, they lip-read and overdub with what exactly what it says — bad lip reading.
It’s way funnier than it sounds.
If you want a proper indoctrination to this series, start with Russian Unicorn and then go straight to Seagulls.
There’s something for everyone here: movies, TV Shows, music videos, and even politics.
Again these are addictive, don’t start them right before work.
Kid Snippets (YouTube)
This one is also great to watch with kids. My husband and I watched these with our daughter when she was about 9 or 10.
It’s such sweet comedy appropriate for any age group and genuinely funny.
It’s from Bored Shorts TV. They record kids telling stories and then act it out. I’m not sure I can describe it in a way that does it justice.
They’re Lol funny, even if you’re watching them by yourself.
So if you’re a bit out of sorts, these might just be the prescription you need to get releasing those important neuropeptides.
They’re addictive and so fun that if you won’t feel bad for long once you get stuck into your binge.
Just be warned, they’re all so funny, engaging, and addictive that you can easily while away a whole afternoon or evening on them before you know it.
Thanks so much for reading!
Also, don’t forget to check out more great writers on Illumination. Or better yet, share your voice, experience, and wisdom and come on board as a writer, you’re always welcome at Illumination!
If you’d like to read more articles by me, please check these out:
