Module6Unit1文化背景知識

“Theartofmedicineconsistsofkeepingthepatientamusedwhilenaturehealsthedisease.”

—Voltaire

Whatarethehealthbenefitsofhumorandlaughter?

Thesoundofroaringlaughterisfarmorecontagiousthananycough,sniffle,orsneeze.Humorandlaughtercancauseadominoeffect(多米諾效應)ofjoyandamusement,aswellassetoffanumberofpositivephysicaleffects.Agoodheartylaughcanhelp:

?reducestress

?lowerbloodpressure

?elevatemood

?boostimmunesystem

?improvebrainfunctioning

?protecttheheart

?connectyoutoothers

?fosterinstantrelaxation,and

?makeyoufeelgood

Laughteractivatesthechemistryofthewilltoliveandincreasesourcapacitytofightdisease.Laughingrelaxesthebodyandreducesproblemsassociatedwithhighbloodpressure,strokes,arthritis(關節(jié)炎),andulcers（潰瘍）.Someresearchsuggeststhatlaughtermayalsoreducetheriskofheartdisease.

Laughterlowersbloodpressure.Peoplewholaughheartilyonaregularbasishavelowerstandingbloodpressurethantheaverageperson.Whenpeoplehaveagoodlaugh,initiallythebloodpressureincreases,butthenitdecreasestolevelsbelownormal.Breathingthenbecomesdeeperwhichsendsoxygenenrichedbloodandnutrientsthroughoutthebody.

Humorchangesourbiochemicalstate.Laughterdecreasesstresshormonesandincreasesinfectionfightingantibodies.Itincreasesourattentiveness,heartrate,andpulse.

Laughterprotectstheheart.Laughter,alongwithanactivesenseofhumor,mayhelpprotectyouagainstaheartattack,accordingtothestudyattheUniversityofMarylandMedicalCenter(citedabove).Thestudy,whichisthefirsttoindicatethatlaughtermayhelppreventheartdisease,foundthatpeoplewithheartdiseasewere40percentlesslikelytolaughinavarietyofsituationscomparedtopeopleofthesameagewithoutheartdisease.

Laughtergivesourbodiesagoodworkout.Notonlydoeslaughtergiveyourmidsectionaworkout,itcanbenefitdigestionandabsorption（吸收）functioningaswell.Itisestimatedthatheartylaughtercanburncaloriesequivalenttoseveralminutesontherowingmachineortheexercisebike.

Humorimprovesbrainfunctionandrelievesstress.Laughterstimulatesbothsidesofthebraintoenhancelearning.Iteasesmuscletensionandpsychologicalstress,whichkeepsthebrainalertandallowspeopletoretainmoreinformation.

Whydoweneedhumortostayhealthyemotionally?

Ahealthysenseofhumorisrelatedtobeingabletolaughatoneselfandone’slife.Laughingatoneselfcanbeawayofacceptingandrespectingoneself.Lackofasenseofhumorisdirectlyrelatedtolowerself-esteem.(Notethatlaughingatoneselfcanalsobeunhealthyifonelaughsasawayofselfdegradation.)

Humorisessentialtomentalhealthforavarietyofreasons:

?Humorenhancesourabilitytoaffiliateorconnectwithothers.

?Humorhelpsusreplacedistressingemotionswithpleasurablefeelings.Youcannotfeelangry,depressed,anxious,guilty,orresentfulandexperiencehumoratthesametime.

?Lackinghumorwillcauseone’sthoughtprocessestostagnateleadingtoincreaseddistress.

?Humorchangesbehavior—whenweexperiencehumorwetalkmore,makemoreeyecontactwithothers,touchothers,etc.

?Humorincreasesenergy,andwithincreasedenergywemayperformactivitiesthatwemightotherwiseavoid.

?Finally,humorisgoodformentalhealthbecauseitmakesusfeelgood!

Whatarethesocialbenefitsofhumorandlaughter?

Ourwork,marriageandfamilyallneedhumor,celebrations,playandritual(例行儀式；例行習慣)asmuchasrecord-keepingandproblem-solving.Weshouldaskthequestions“Dowelaughtogether?”aswellas“Canwegetthroughthishardshiptogether?”Humorbindsustogether,lightensourburdensandhelpsuskeepthingsinperspective.Oneofthethingsthatsapsourenergyisthetime,focusandeffortweputintocopingwithlife’sproblemsincludingeachother’slimitations.Ourfamilies,ourfriendsandourneighborsarenotperfectandneitherareourmarriages,ourkidsorourin-laws.Whenwelaughtogether,itcanbindusclosertogetherinsteadofpullingusapart.

Rememberthateveninthemostdifficultoftimes,alaugh,orevensimplyasmile,cangoalongwayinhelpingusfeelbetter

?Laughteristheshortestdistancebetweentwopeople.

?Humorunitesus,especiallywhenwelaughtogether.

?Laughterheals.

?Laughsandsmilesareenjoyedbestwhensharedwithothers.

?Tolaughornottolaughisyourchoice.

Howdowebringmorehumorandlaughterintoourlives?

Whenweconsidertheinestimablebenefitsofhumor,wewanttobringasmuchlaughterintoourlivesaspossible.Butforthosewhogrewupinhumor-deprivedenvironments,wherefunwasdiscouragedorthoughtofasfrivolous,findingopportunitiestobellylaughatourselvesandwith(notat)othersmayberareandexperiencedasawkward.

Fortunately,asindividualsweareprogrammedtolaugh.Thinkoftimeswhenotherswerelaughingaroundyou—andmaybeyoudidn’tevenknowwhy—butyoufoundyourselflaughinguncontrollablywiththem.Therearemanykindsofhumorandmanyopportunitiesfordevelopinghumor.Wecanlearntolaughmorefrequentlybyexpandingoursenseofhumorandusingitwithothers.Learningaboutthenatureandvarietyofhumorousexperiencehelpsusseethatourlivesaboundwithopportunitiesforfindinghumorandexercisinglaughter.

“Theolderyouget,thetougheritistoloseweight,becausebythenyourbodyandyourfatarereallygoodfriends.”

—BobHope

Howcanyoumakesurethatyourhumorwon’toffend?

Becausewewantotherstofeelthatwearelaughingwithandnotatthem,herearesomesuggestionsforusinghumorsafelywithpeople.Usehumor:

?Afteranotherpersonuseshumorwithyou.

?Whenthesituationissocially“appropriate”—humoratapartywillbeexperienceddifferentlythanhumoratafuneral.

?Aimedatyourself(asopposedtohumoraimedatanotherperson).

?Topokefunatasituationratheratanotherpersonorgroupofpersons.

Howcanyouexpandyoursenseofhumor?

Asenseofhumorisdevelopedbyputtingtime,focusandenergyintoexperiencesthatmakeuslaughandfeelgood.Thetipsbelowcanhelpyouaddtoyourcapacityforlaughter.

?Lookfortheeverydayhumor.Startlookingfortheabsurd,silly,incongruousactivitiesthatgoonaroundyoueachday.

?Observeinfantsand