Rx Laughter Old Fashioned Belly Laugh Is Downright Therapeutic

Carol Burnett wears an elaborate gown of draperies as she majestically descends the staircase as Scarlett O’Hara.

Harvey Korman, as Rhett Butler, greets her at the bottom of the stairs. He’s supposed to say, “Why, Miss Scarlett, you look marvelous.” Then she’s supposed to say, “I saw it in the window and I just had to have it.”

But Burnett has a curtain rod suspended off her shoulders and the two are cracking up so much they can hardly deliver their lines.

It’s a comedy classic that still makes people howl. Not only that, but it may also reduce their stress and make them healthier. According to an expert on health and humor, laughter is no silly time-waster. It’s downright therapeutic.

Kathy Passanisi, a former president of the American Association For Therapeutic Humor and a humorist from St. Louis, Mo., will give a keynote speech at the Holy Family Hospital Women’s Health Conference Feb. 7.

“(Laughter) energizes you,” says Passanisi. “It clears the cobwebs. It strengthens the immune system. … Nobody’s ever come out with a study that says laughter is bad for you.”

Believe it or not, in a time of corporate down-sizing, getting your daily dose of laughter may be more important than ever.

Think of the entertainment of the ‘30s: lots of screwball comedies and vaudeville. Laughter helped get people through the Depression. It can’t hurt in these uncertain times, either.

In today’s workplace, workers and managers alike are stressed out and blaming each other. “What’s happening,” says Passanisi, “is that this level of stress is causing poor quality of work. It’s causing strife and friction between co-workers. It keeps people from being creative.”

Think of laughter as the antibiotic against anger.

“If you and I can laugh together, we can work together,” she says. “If I see you laugh, you become a human being and I’m going to cut you some slack.”

Passanisi recommends that people up their daily dosage. Start by auditing the amount of humor in your life and compare that to the grimness you allow in. Many people, she says, watch way too much CNN.

“How many times do you need to see starving Bosnian children to feel you’re aware?” she asks. “I don’t need to see the news more than once a day.”

Passanisi manages to wedge more laughter into her life than most people.

Last January, she and two of her college friends checked into the Ritz for 24 hours and laughed themselves sick. They took afternoon tea, they drank champagne and nibbled chocolate-covered strawberries. They stayed up all night, laughing until they were wiping their eyes.

It’s this mirthful, bubble-up-fromyour toes kind of laughter that has the best effect on your health, Passanisi says. A sarcastic sneer or a cynical chortle won’t work.

True laughter increases the heart rate, improves circulation, reduces muscle tension and improves digestion, she says. A 20-second belly laugh, while it may not trim the thighs, has the same aerobic benefits as three minutes on a rowing machine.

Humor studies show that people get the greatest health benefits from laughing out loud. Therapeutic humor experts find they get the best results from reruns of “Candid Camera” or “America’s Funniest Home Videos.”

Passanisi also recommends injecting more humor in your life by reading the comics pages, watching sitcoms or renting funny videos. She’s partial to the classics, Carol Burnett’s Scarlett O’Hara sketch, for example, or the “I Love Lucy” rerun where Lucy sets her nose on fire.

But she advises finding humor to match your own taste, whether it’s Dilbert, Cathy or For Better or For Worse on the comics pages or Tim Allen, Jay Leno or Jerry Seinfeld on television.

For an instant mood lift, rent a funny movie tonight. Watch “While You Were Sleeping” or “Grumpy Old Men.” Take home the original version of “The Odd Couple” with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau and chuckle through it one more time.

“Sometimes,” Passanisi reminds, “it’s nice to see something that’s sweet with a happy ending. Because in life, that’s just as likely the turn of events.”

Passanisi will also lead a workshop called “Managing Change by Changing Your Tune” at the health conference.

For people whose jobs may be threatened by layoffs, she believes in replacing worry with positive messages.

“It’s constantly saying to yourself, ‘This is the sign of the times,”’ she says. “‘This is the economy. This is no reflection on me as an individual. No matter how much I worry about this, it’s not going to change things.”’

Worry, in fact, can make the situation worse. By endlessly dwelling on the worst possibilities, people become more tense, more angry and more likely to damage relationships on the job and at home.

Passanisi advises people to move beyond fear by taking action. “I can say, ‘These are my alternatives. If this happens I can do A, B and C.’ Instead of sitting there waiting for the bus to hit you, it’s saying, ‘I can step out of the way.”’

She believes it’s possible to consciously shift from a pessimistic to an optimistic perspective.

“It’s how we define change,” she says. “There are people who get laid off and this is the worst thing that ever happened and these are the same people who have been complaining about their jobs for the last 20 years. Other people find it’s a very liberating experience.”

For the latter group, a layoff may mean excitement and a chance to try something new. It may mean an opportunity to go back to school, to explore a new career field or discover new strengths.

For those simply feeling edgy in this uncertain economy, she firmly believes in taking charge of your life and making time for activities you truly enjoy.

“Of all the things we worry about, only 2 percent really come to pass,” she says. “A higher percentage actually turn out better. The odds are in your favor.”

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MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Holy Family Hospital Women’s Health Conference Schedule of events Opening banquet: Keynote address by Olympic Gold Medalist Diana Golden, “Faces of Courage - Daring To Do More Than Just Dream.” Feb. 6, 6-9 p.m. $40. Breakfast Program: Keynote address by humorist Kathy Passanisi, “Ladies, Life and Laughter.” Feb. 7, 8 a.m. $40, includes one morning workshop. Morning workshop options: Kathy Passanisi on “Managing Change by Changing Your Tune,” Diana Golden on “The Woman in the Mirror,” and Kim Erk on “The Great Balancing Act.” Feb. 7, 10 a.m. Luncheon program: Keynote address by author Jennifer Louden, “Inner Balance: Using Self-Care to Create Well-Being in Your Life.” Feb. 7, noon, $40, includes one afternoon workshop. Afternoon workshop options: Jennifer Louden on “Developing Your Own Style of Self-Care,” Carole France on “What Do I Want To Be When I Grow Up?” and Mary Ann Sanger on “Circle of Friends - Windows of Opportunity,” Feb. 7, 2 p.m. Details Location: Cavanaugh’s Inn at the Park. Registration: For information, call the Women’s Health Center at 482-2477. Costs: If postmarked by Jan. 30, the cost is $100 for the full conference, or $80 for Wednesday only. (After Jan. 30, it’s $120 and $90.) A spouse or partner may attend the evening banquet and program for an additional $25. Scholarships: A limited number of partial scholarships are available based on need. Call the Women’s Health Center, 482-2477, for an application.