Section 2:

The notion that humor is beneficial to one’s health has been around since Biblical times.  For example, Ecclesiastes 3:4 states: “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven; a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.”  There are also a number of verses in Proverbs which support the humor-health benefit connection.  In Proverbs 17:22 Solomon wrote “a cheerful heart works like good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones” and in Proverbs 15:15 “When a man is gloomy, everything seems to go wrong, when he is cheerful, everything seems right.”

However, using humor as an intervention in health care has only recently, in the past 20 years or so, been revived.  This has been promoted by popular acceptance, especially following the touching and humorous writings of Norman Cousins, Allen Klein and Bernie Siegel, as well as the movie Patch Adams.   Norman Cousins, who is claimed to have laughed his way to health, is probably the best known promoter of the potential health benefits of humor. 

In his book Anatomy of an Illness, Cousins was quick to explain that while humor and laughter played an important part in his recovery, so did his doctor and medical treatments, including large doses of Vitamin C.  His personal accounts of a daily dose of humor in his successful fight against ankylosing spondylitis, a progressive degenerative disease, resulting in a crippling spinal disease, have become folklore.  He discovered that for him, 10 minutes of genuine belly laughter allowed him at least 2 hours of pain-free, uninterrupted sleep.  Cousins viewed humor as a process that produces catharsis, release, relief from physical and psychological tension, and a reduction of inhibitions.  He speculated that a good hearty belly laugh was not only equal to an internal jog, but also triggered the release of endorphins.  He continued speculating that these endorphins functioned analgesically, providing relief for ailments such as arthritis.

One widely held belief, possibly based on Cousin’s speculation, is that when a person laughs, the brain produces endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller.  While there has been limited scientific evidence to sustain this belief as of yet, a variety of researchers such as Berk, Fry, Klein and Moody, report that positive physical changes take place when we laugh.  For example, the heart rate, blood circulation, and blood pressure all increase during laughter and then drop to a more relaxed state after the laughter has stopped.  The immune system is also effected positively by humor and laughter, increasing one’s defense against colds and disease.

Using humor as an intervention also has positive psychological effects.  It can serve as a communication enhancer, a stress reliever, a tension breaker, or a distracter, just to name a few effects.  Humor can also help provide a new perspective or support effective coping during difficult times. 

In today's world of increasing technology and less time made for personal contact, humor can help reduce and/or cope with stress as well as bring the warmth and caring back into the medical setting.  Caring clowns attempt to do just that.

Caring clowns have some unique opportunities in hospital or nursing home settings.  Unlike hospital or medical/health care staff, they are not poking, prodding, or pumping patients for information when ever it is convenient.  Caring clowns give patients a small sense of control since patients determine whether or not to invite the clown into their room.  Patients are welcome to participate or just watch the fun and silliness.

Allowing patients, staff or family to express themselves through humor, is another thing caring clowns can provide.  This enables patients, staff or family members to release some of the tension and anger they are experiencing without harming themselves or others.  Using humor to express themselves does not solve the problems, or heal the illnesses, but typically provides the people with a sense of relief or a brief break from everything so that they are able to go back and face life with a renewed sense of energy.