Trying to laugh all the way to Comprehensive Exams...

"Laughter does not cure any illness but is a coping mechanism for people under stress. Laughter reduces stress, tension, and pain. It is a form of emotional support for patients."

"The Bible states that A merry heart does good like a medicine (Proverbs 17:22) and makes a cheerful countenance (Ibid 15:13). The Talmud (Berachot 61b) suggests that the spleen produces laughter."

"In the past two thousand years, humor and laughter have been used therapeutically in a variety of medical and other situations. Randomized controlled clinical trials have not been conducted validating the therapeutic efficacy of laughter. However, benefits have been reported in geriatrics, oncology, critical care, psychiatry, rehabilitation, rheumatology, home care, palliative care, hospice care, terminal care, and general patient care."

"Humor does not make problems disappear but it makes them easier to bear. Humor and laughter are good for the body and good for the spirit. The following seems to be good advice for patients and caregivers alike: 'laugh regularly, smile often, and help others to laugh and smile.' In this era of complementary therapies, it seems appropriate that humor and laughter take their place of honor as a supplementary form of the treatment of illness, together with prayer and chicken soup."

"Laughter may help to control pain by distracting attention, by reducing tension, by changing expectations, and by increasing the production of endogenous endorphins."

Endogenous endorphins are the pain-killing, morphine-like chemical substances that are produced by our own bodies. Interesting that morphine injected right after trauma prevents PTSD. It's no wonder what laughter in the face of stress can do. Interesting that mirror neurons make me smile when you're smiling. Let's start a smiling and laughing wave and see how good that feels. ;) ;) :0) ;) :) ;0)- ;) ;) ;) ;)

"...humor and laughter serve as 'the body’s instinctive, cognitive, and biologic mechanism for restoring homeostasis and equilibrium.' Laughter restores balance and equilibrium. It dissipates tension, fear, frustration, and other stress such as 'burnout', perhaps by producing biochemical changes in the body such as decreases in serum growth hormone, cortisol, dopac, and epinephrine levels. Doctors and nurses are increasingly recognizing the importance of humor in reducing stress and promoting feelings of well being of both patients and themselves as care givers. Laughter is an often neglected resource in managing personal and professional stress."

From Therapeutic Efficacy of Laughter in Medicine, Fred Rosner, M.D., F.A.C.P., Cancer Investigation, 20(3), 434–436 (2002).

I am ready for all of it, laughter, massage, aesthetic pampering, prayer, and some chicken mole (I am beyond the need for soup). Comprehensive exams may not be an illness, but they are stressful. It's a lot to remember and write in six timed essays - 24+ pages in eight hours spread over two days, especially if you're not exactly sure what the questions are. Boy, will there be some celebrating when this is all over! Cheers!