Laughter is the new meditation

I just read an article by Amanda Chan in The Huffington Post where she writes that a recent research study found that “Joyful laughter and meditation look similar in the brain…: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/28/laughter-meditation-brain_n_5201339.html

 

Chan reports that “A small study from Loma Linda University researchers shows that when people engage in humor-associated mirthful laughter, their brain wave frequencies are similar to that which are seen when a person engages in meditation.”

More specifically, the researchers noted that "Humor Associated with Mirthful Laughter sustains high-amplitude gamma-band oscillations. Gamma is the only frequency found in every part of the brain," study researcher Lee Berk, DrPH, MPH, of Loma Linda University, said in a statement. "What this means is that humor actually engages the entire brain -- it is a whole brain experience with the gamma wave band frequency and humor, similar to meditation, holds it there; we call this being, 'in the zone.’

In case you’re wondering, being “in the zone” is a good thing, because, as the researchers stated, "We suggest HAML [humor associated mirthful laughter] may be another non-pharmacological lifestyle intervention to provide health, wellness [and] adjunctive therapeutic benefits.”

I’ve blogged on the brain benefits of meditation a number of times. Here’s a link to my most recent meditation blog post: http://johnstumor.blogspot.com/2014/05/12-ways-yoga-meditation-helps-nourish.html

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“12 Ways Yoga Meditation Helps Nourish the Body, Brain and Mind”

I found myself drawn to this article by Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa of the Alzheimer's Research & Prevention Foundation posted on the SharperBrains website: http://sharpbrains.com/blog/2013/10/25/12-ways-yoga-meditation-helps-nourish-the-body-brain-and-mind/  I guess I’m just a sucker for lists.

Here’s a list of his 12 ways:

1. Increased telomerase (Do I know what this means? No, but if you read the posting you’ll know exactly as much as I do.)
2. Decrease in bad genes
3. Improvement of good genes
4. Improved Sleep: (yes, I know what that means)
5. Enhanced Brain Blood Flow (also called cerebral blood flow or CBF)
6. Increased Healthy Brain Size
7. Improved Brain Chemistry
8. Improved Mem­ory
9. Reduced Stress
10. Less depression
11. Clarity of Purpose
12. Spiritual Well-Being

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Meditation. Yes? No? Who Knows?

A posting on the National Brain Tumor Society’s website suggests that those of us with tumors (or maybe even those of us caring for people with tumors) should consider meditation (see http://my.braintumorcommunity.org/app/render/go.aspx?sBlogID=5994&xslt=blog/blogbase.xslt&mode=post&sPostID=176246&cons_id=2966833&ts=1327003708&signature=1d2a0b91dafb226e687203f409e01717). 

Come again?

I have a brain tumor – why would I revert to the “think” method espoused in the “Music Man”?

According to the NBTS posting, “Everyday life is full of stress and if you are a part of the brain tumor community, there can be added stress and limitations around what you can do to alleviate it. Mindfulness meditation is an easy and free coping strategy.”

Ok, I get that.  Having a brain tumor, even one that I hope is in remission, causes a certain 

amount of stress.  Or as Steve McCroskey said in the movie Airplane, It “Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit drinking.”

But isn’t meditation hard? I’d hate to be stressed because I’m terrible at meditation which is supposed to be relaxing and restful…or is that my inner Woody Allen speaking? Hmmmm, maybe this conundrum is more of a “Catch-22” than my inner self channeling Woody Allen.

And didn’t I recently write a posting about the importance of exercising for at least 30 minutes a day?  Sheesh, that would only leave me with 23 hours a day.

Do you get the sense that I’m trying really hard to procrastinate?  I do.

Actually, the advice on the website doesn’t sound all the hard. I am going to try to try this afternoon – if that makes any sense.

While I’m also going to ask my sister the acupuncturist what she thinks, I’m interested if any of you have recently tried meditating.  If you have, please add a post with your impressions.