WARNING: The Surgeon General of the United States has determined that chronic stress is detrimental to your health.

Almost everybody knows by now that chronic stress or distress in your life has a detrimental effect on your health. When we experience chronic stress there are biochemicals released within us that have a negative impact on our bodies.

If the mind and the brain has a negative impact on us when we are under long-term distress, then it might be wise to look at the other side of the coin. Can we create physiological and biochemical changes from positive stress, such as laughter? Many studies have demonstrated that indeed, laughter does reduce the negative consequences of classical, internal stress.

Laboratory evidence demonstrates that "mirthful laughter" has in impact on most physiological systems, including the cardiovascular system, the muscle system, the respiratory system, the central nervous system, the endocrine system, and the immune system. In other words, laughter de-stresses us all over.

A sense of humor and a ready laugh are probably as healing to body and mind as any medication. When we laugh, our perception shifts. We let go of feelings of judgment, blame and self-pity. We embrace a more extended way of knowing ourselves and others. Deliberately taking the time to amuse and be amused allows us to sustain a great deal of change that might otherwise be overwhelming.

Laughter releases tension inside your body, in groups, and in meetings. Comic relief has been known for centuries. Humor is now being used increasingly as a major adjunct to health care in many settings, such as hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and convalescent homes. The effects of humor, laughter and delight within these settings have resulted in greater optimism, socialization, and cooperation among patients; decreased dependence on tranquilizers and pain-relieving medication; and less burnout among health professionals.

Laughter increases ventilation and enhances respiratory therapy. Good old Sigmund Freud wrote that humor and mirth defuses rage. He said that if a person has a tendency toward anger, humor can "deflect that tendency."

One implication of laughter and humor for health are that humor may help prevent heart attacks, which are associated with the incidence of sudden rate increase. Additionally, it is now recognized that hostility is the core issue in the Type A personality, which may predispose individuals to cardio-vascular disease. William F. Fry, Jr. M.D. is Emeritus Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Stanford University School of Medicine. He writes, "...using humor to control anger may help prevent heart disease or reduce the severity of heart attacks."

What can you do to promote laughter in your life? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Make it a point to spend time with people who make you laugh. Do this regularly. Spend time with those who take neither themselves (nor you) too seriously. Be with those people who find delight in being alive.

2. Learn child-like playfulness all over again. Be silly. Take a class in improvisational theatre. Spend time with very young children who haven't forgotten how to laugh and play. Let them be your teachers on how to rediscover laughter, fun and joy.

3. Read books about humor. Read humorous books. Watch funny movies and TV. Tell jokes. Share humorous material with others. One person's laughter evokes another's. Laughter is contagious.

4. Put your head back and make laughing sounds even when you aren't feeling in a "laughing mood." After a while, you laugh at your own laughter. Others may too! Giggle regularly.

Practice these suggestions and who knows, you might just laugh all the way to wellness. Tee hee! Wouldn't that be utterly delightful?