The Link Between Laughter and Memory Loss

The saying “Laughter is the best medicine” has been around forever. Still, it’s as relevant today as it was decades ago, maybe even more so given the high-stress levels so many people live with today, including our senior loved ones. It’s well documented that stress is detrimental to many things, including physical illness, weight loss, and mental health. It’s also a scientific fact that stress increases cortisol, a hormone that can cause physical damage and slowly increase memory loss. Fortunately, studies have shown that laughter is effective in decreasing cortisol levels.

Academic Studies Prove the Benefits of Laughter

One study that scholars speaking on the link between laughter and memory loss frequently refer to was performed at Loma Linda University. The study was centered around twenty healthy seniors in their 60s and 70s; it measured their stress levels and their link to short-term memory.

One group (the non-humor group) was asked to sit silently, not reading, talking, or using their phone, while the other group (the humor group) watched funny videos. After twenty minutes, the participants gave saliva samples and took a short memory test.

You guessed it – the humor group that watched the funny videos had a much greater improvement in recall abilities, 43.6 percent, compared to 20.3 percent for the non-humor group. And the saliva test results showed a much higher reduction in cortisol – the stress hormone – for the humor group after watching the videos. The non-humor group also benefited by unplugging from their phones and sitting quietly. Their recall ability did improve, and they had a slight decrease in their cortisol levels.

Other studies have shown that laughter has more benefits than just memory improvement. For example, a study conducted by Vanderbilt University estimated that laughing for 10-15 minutes a day can burn up to 40 calories. And a study from the University of Maryland found a link between having a sense of humor and protection against heart disease.

Help Your Senior Laugh More

At a loss for creative ways to help your senior loved one laugh more? Here are some simple ways to fill their lives, and yours, with some healthy laughter:

• Tell them some clean jokes, or refer them to online joke sources like Reader’s Digest or the Laugh Factory.
• Watch a funny movie together.
• Share some fun memories through old photos.
• Dress up together in some old clothes, hats, and jewelry from their attic.
• Take them to a local comedy club. Make sure it’s a clean comedian and early show.
• Bring your small children by for a visit. Nothing makes a senior chuckle quite like being around their grandchildren.
• Load up some funny old TV programs or YouTube videos from Bob Hope, Hee Haw, I Love Lucy or The Red Skelton Show.
• Get them together with some old friends to share a few laughs. For homebound seniors, there’s always FaceTime or Skype.
• Dance with your loved ones at home, or take them dancing.
• Play a game with your senior. Games like Operation, Uno, or Go Fish are great at promoting laughter.
• Get them a pet. Who hasn’t been joyfully entertained by a puppy tugging on an old sock or a kitten batting around a ball of yarn?
• Enroll them in a “laughter yoga” (Hasya Yoga) class. This form of exercise is excellent for seniors who are immobile, and even wheelchair-bound.

Our Caregivers Love to Help Seniors Laugh

The caregivers at Assisting Hands Home Care to love being with seniors and helping them laugh in the place they most desire to be – home. While in the home, our experienced aides can provide a wide range of services, including help with personal hygiene, light housekeeping, meal preparation, companionship, and more. We tailored each care plan in an affordable package to put your mind at ease.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your loved one in Boston Northwest, Bedford, Winchester, and Concord age in place with dignity. Are you interested in joining our team as a caregiver? Apply today for one or more of our open positions.