Is it healthy to laugh and be happy?

[Lliam]

I recently had a flashback to my childhood when I would watch the Sheriff John Lunch Brigade show on TV. I clearly remember his "Put Another Candle on Your Birthday Cake" song, and this one, "Laugh and Be Happy".

It's a hokey song, but can you relate to the lyrics?
When you see someone smiling or laughing, does it cheer you up? What if you do that for yourself? Can you chase away a funk by laughing or smiling? Is it possible that the mere act of smiling or laughing can register in your body to transform your feelings like mind over matter?

I'm not talking about laughing and grinning all the time like a village idiot. Even an inner smile of irony or amusement might make you feel better than being serious, annoyed, angry or frightened all the time.

Happiness is good for your heart; strengthens your immune system; combats stress. Happy people have fewer aches and pains. It combats disease and disability and lengthens our lives.
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/six_ways_happiness_is_good_for_your_health

Happiness can also train our brains to have a positive outlook.

"For example, if we rest our attention routinely on what we resent or regret—our hassles, our lousy roommate, what Jean-Paul Sartre called “hell” (other people)—then we’re going to build out the neural substrates of those thoughts and feelings.

"On the other hand, if we rest our attention on the things for which we’re grateful, the blessings in our life—the wholesome qualities in ourselves and the world around us; the things we get done, most of which are fairly small yet they’re accomplishments nonetheless—then we build up very different neural substrates."

There are a lot of gloomy people out there who are always as serious as a heart attack.
I think it's better to be positive, don't you?

Here are the song lyrics:

LAUGH AND BE HAPPY
(Lee Penny)

"Sheriff" John Rovick

Come on now,
Laugh and be happy and the world will laugh with you
When people see you smiling they can't help smiling too
When you look out the window to a dark and gloomy day
Break out a smile and in a while the gloom will go away
So laugh and be happy with a merry melody
A song will make a hat rack look like a Christmas tree
Get rid of worry in a hurry, chase the blues away
Just laugh and be happy all the live.... long..... day..

And here is the melody. Begin at :31 seconds.

If you learn the lyrics and sing it to yourself, you're bound to cheer up. It's like whistling the melody to "Whistle While You Work".

[TrueConfection]

This is so true! Thank you Lliam! I used to set time aside each day to laugh, just clear my head and watch something funny. I need to get back to that.

[Lliam]

I appreciate it, my friend. I find that even humming a happy tune can lighten me up.

[TrueConfection]

I'm a professional car singer. 🎶

[Lliam]

Are you really? Awesome! What style?

I was lead guitar and vocalist in garage bands from about age 15 to 33 or so. I didn't know how to sing but was good enough I guess. I didn't do music for about 20 years after that. But when I got back into it, I focused more on vocals, practiced, learned how to sing, and got pretty good from about 2005 to 2020. I was doing gigs in bands and people really liked my vocals. I sang all kinds of stuff including folk, R&B, pop, Irish, country western, rock & roll and rock.

[TrueConfection]

I'll sing whatever song I know the lyrics to. No one will pay me to sing, but they might pay me to stop. 😉

[Lliam]

LOL I didn't catch the "car" part. duh. 🥴
There's nothing like kicking the volume up and singing real loud with full choreography. If feels good and entertains passers by. 🤣🤣🤣

I'll bet you kick ass in the shower, too. LOL

[TrueConfection]

Figaro Figaro Figaro

[Lliam]

Ah. Opera then. LOL

[TrueConfection]

Thank you for the MHO ❤

[OlderAndWiser]

It is always helpful to have a reminder that there is a way to feel better when we are at our depths of depression or grief!

[OlderAndWiser]

Thanks for MHO!

[lightbulb27]

Hadn't heard of Sheriff John, but I took one look at him and said..."that's a WWII veteran". 50 missions in WWII... after cheating death so many times, a person can decide to be happy.

for sure, laughter is great stress release, a deflection. When we can't control, laughing helps. nice how he combined italian music with his theme... its happy sounds!

what a contrast this is to today's Tv/media.

Jesus of Nazareth said similar things, other "great influencers". "If there's anything good, focus on that", etc... I guess what we think has a big impact on how we perceive, and thus how we feel. it isn't just what's happening.

I feel like drinking some pear alcohol after listening to that song...

[Lliam]

Really good thoughts, lightbulb. It's true. Sheriff John was a good role model with calm, caring masculinity. He recited the Pledge of Allegiance, said grace before lunch, gave kids safety advice and taught them to have good attitudes. He made police officers seem benevolent.

As you said, things sure have changed over the years.

[Lliam]

I was totally surprised and thrilled one year to have him wish me Happy Birthday on his show when I was very young.

When I was maybe 3 or 4, my family went to my maternal grandparents house on my birthday. They had gotten a cake that was decorated just like the one on the Sheriff John show. It was even on a revolving turn table. When I walked in and saw it, I came out of my skin.

I think one of my presents that year was a cowboy outfit and a pair of Fanner Fifties. LOL

[lightbulb27]

Awsome grandparents, they really loved you! Very fortunate, that would be like meeting santa at the tree.

[Jamie05rhs]

Yes. I totally agree.

Where I struggle is just knowing when it's appropriate to be "happy" and when it's inappropriate. Because I'm positive the majority of the time; that's just how I am. But I don't want to be silly and goofy when a girl is hurting because I don't want her to think that I don't get it and I don't care. (Then again, I kind of still do want to be "happy," because I want to cheer her up. Because I don't like to see her sad and suffering. Because I DO care!)

[Anonymous]

When I see someone smile is generally makes me feel good. When I see someone sad it makes me sad - when I was little in preschool and kindergarten and kids would cry sometimes, even though I didn’t necessarily feel sad, I had to try as hard as I could to hold back tears


I do smile all the time, I can’t help but smile when someone is talking to me


And yes it is healthy I’d say, some people use laughter because they like laughter and some use it to distract themselves. Either way it seems healthy

[VLAD76]

Well it's better than being dead I guess, it gets cold 6ft below so laughing would be hard plus being dead and 6ft under what you got to laugh at? Maybe all us silly fuckers still wandering around aimlessly trying to work out what you yah dead laughing bugger just discovered? Lol 🙂

[AlwaysBelieving]

I think it is. I can usually make myself laugh by just allowing random thoughts flow through my head. I have to be careful so it doesn't go to far since that can lead to a whole host of other issues.

When I'm in a funk, laughter does help a bit. It also depends on how much of a funk I'm in.

[lamaguy]

I usually can’t laugh from thoughts, but I can sit there still for very long periods of time and be happily entertained by my thoughts

[faithgrace4u]

I think it does bc your sad thats depressing and thats not good for your health

[Lliam]

Absolutely. :-)

[Brainsbeforebeauty]

Great take.. So true, why they say laughter is the best medicine...

[Lliam]

Thanks, Beeb. :-)

[cth2188]

I agree laughter is a stress reliever for me and try to laugh watching comedy movies. Great post ! ❤️

[Lliam]

Thank you. :-)

[noohair]

When you laugh, chemicals get released in your brain. The good ones in the correct amount. Laughter is good medicine.

[Lliam]

Exactly, noohair. That's what I'm talking about. Thanks.

[zagor]

Yes, unless you've had abdominal surgery recently. Then it hurts like hell.

[Lliam]

True. Or a cracked rib. :-)

[exitseven]

Yes, there have been studies of people who have lived to be 100. They mostly have positive attitudes.

[Sevenpointfive]

no. fake happiness is dumb and it makes you look stupid, ignorant and naive

[Anonymous]

Yah except if that happiness is not something Liam is into. Then it's stupid and illegal. 🙂

[MaheenRajbut]

laugh and be happy it effect on your mental health

[EffaMan]

This is so true :)

[GreyestClouds]

Simply, yes.

[EaterPeter]

At your own expense