{"id":3351,"date":"2012-09-24T08:00:51","date_gmt":"2012-09-24T12:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/doinglifetogether\/?p=3351"},"modified":"2012-09-17T12:46:29","modified_gmt":"2012-09-17T16:46:29","slug":"the-best-antidote-for-stress-you-already-have-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/2012\/09\/the-best-antidote-for-stress-you-already-have-it.html","title":{"rendered":"The Best Antidote for Stress? You Already Have It!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>If you could have one of the best antidotes for stress, would you take it? If I told you it is something that you can easily access and is free, would you want it? If I raved about how this one thing does everything, from decreasing the risk of heart attack, to stimulating the immune system, would you order it? Well, get ready, because it\u2019s something you already have (At least I hope you have it.).<\/p>\n

It\u2019s humor!\u00a0Now if you don\u2019t have a sense of humor, get one. Read joke books, listen to comedy and learn to laugh at funny things. You are probably taking life too seriously and need to laugh at yourself and others at least once in awhile. Humor is a great stress reducer.\u00a0\u00a0It is also a self-care tool that fosters a positive and hopeful attitude. Humor releases emotions and stimulates the immune system.<\/p>\n

Humor takes a stressful condition and turns it into a challenge. Studies at Cornell University found that people exposed to humor in the workplace were not only more creative problem-solvers, but they also could better see the consequences of their individual decisions. Humor defuses stress and makes it easier to look at a situation and do something about it. Humor is fun. It feels good to laugh and laughter does wonders for the physical body.<\/p>\n

Now, I\u2019m not suggesting you laugh off serious matters in your life. I don\u2019t want you denying or avoiding problems. I\u2019m simply saying that maintaining a sense of humor helps during serious times.<\/p>\n

For example, my mother \u00a0called one night. She was lamenting the number of family and friends ill with serious conditions. Then she injected a humorous thought: \u201cYou know \u00a0why we have so many volunteers at the hospital (she used to volunteer)? It is because we never know who will be able to help and who will be in the beds.\u201d We both started laughing.\u00a0Humor is a release from the tension of the stress.<\/p>\n

So, next time you feel stressed<\/p>\n