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SATURDAY | JUNE 21, 2025

18 Laughter the best medicine A FTER spending an evening watching comedy clips featur ing Ellen DeGeneres, the late Robin Williams and local tal perspective, creates social connections and helps regulate our emotions. People who use appropriate humour tend to have better mental health outcomes across the board.

Laughter appears to create the exact opposite effects of stress on our bodies. The cardiovascular benefits are surprising. Studies reveal that when we laugh, our heart rate temporarily increases – giving us a mini workout – while our blood pressure drops lower than before we started laughing. It is like hitting a reset button for our entire system. Psychology of joy and resilience I remember my incredibly witty dentist in Singapore. He made me laugh so much that my fear of the drill simply vanished. This mirrors the groundbreaking work of Norman Cousins, who documented how sustained laughter sessions provided genuine pain relief during his recovery from a serious illness. “I made the joyous discovery that 10 minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep,” he wrote. What strikes me most is how people who laugh regularly seem to bounce back from life’s challenges with more grace. There is research backing this observation. When we find humour in difficult situations, we are essentially reframing our problems, which reduces their psychological impact. Psychologists note that humour serves multiple functions simultaneously – it provides

Whether through comedy clips, funny podcasts or silly videos, treat laughter like a daily prescription. 0 Share the joy : Group laughter amplifies individual benefits. Watch comedies with friends, share funny stories or attend comedy shows. 0 Notice the absurd : Keep a mental – or even physical – humour journal. Train yourself to spot the amusing moments in everyday life. 0 Seek professional help : If you are struggling to reconnect with laughter, certified laughter therapists or laughter clubs can help guide you back to joy. Bottom line The evidence is overwhelming: laughter deserves recognition as a legitimate form of medicine. From measurable brain chemistry changes to documented pain relief and enhanced resilience, humour is one of the most accessible wellness tools we have. In our stress-filled world, the most profound prescription may also be the simplest: laugh freely and often, and your body, mind and soul will thank you. Discover what makes you laugh and unlock a healthier, more joyful path forward. Nahlana T. Kreshnan is a somatic psychotherapist and life and executive coach. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

ents like Douglas Lim and Jason Leong, I found myself sighing with content ment and giggling at the memories. This simple pleasure made me reflect on the saying, “laughter is the best medicine”. As it turns out, research ers worldwide are discovering that this simple human response holds remark able healing power. Far from being just a form of enter tainment, scientific evidence shows that laughter can trigger measurable changes in our bodies and minds – changes that can enhance our health and resilience. The science of laughter When we laugh, our brains release a cocktail of feel-good chemicals including endorphins (our body’s natural painkillers), dopamine and serotonin. It is essentially like having a pharmacy in our heads, dispensing natural mood elevators every time we find something funny. Dr Lee Berk from Loma Linda University in California has spent years studying laughter’s impact on our stress hormones. His research shows that good laughter significantly reduces cortisol levels, with benefits lasting up to 12 hours. What is more interesting is our immune systems get a boost too. IT is difficult to discern exactly what the “big stuff” was that prompted President Donald Trump to leave the G7 summit and return to Washington a day early. While he did not provide specific details, he did advise the nine million residents of Tehran to “immediately evacuate” their homes – causing mass panic. Any lingering hopes that the president was returning to the White House to work full time on a ceasefire were dashed when Trump dismissed suggestions to that effect made by the president of France, saying: “I’m not looking for a ceasefire, we’re looking at better than a ceasefire.” What the president wants – in his words – is “an end, a real end, not a ceasefire” and a “complete give-up” by Iran. At the same time, however, the president told the world that he had not contacted the Iranians to initiate peace talks in any “way, shape or form”, insisting they “should have taken the deal that was on the table”. Given that many American diplomats have left the region – and that the USS Nimitz and its carrier strike group are being redeployed from the Pacific – it seems clear that the US government is at least considering the possibility that force, or the threat of it, may be necessary to achieve its strategic objectives. Trump has long been clear about one of his primary objectives: Iran “just can’t have a nuclear weapon”. On that point, at least, he has the backing of his allies, as endorsed in the G7 communique, which also described Iran as a “source of terror”. True to his style, weeks ago he tried a bold – if unlikely – diplomatic initiative by arranging direct talks in Rome between American and Iranian officials. These talks were already stalling before Israel began its bombardment of Iran’s labs, uranium enrichment facilities and other targets – and since then, the US-Iran negotiations have COMMENT

Tragedy of stolen laughter This brings me to something that breaks my heart: adults who were never allowed to laugh as children. Some parents punish their children for giggling or being silly, robbing them of what should be a natural birthright. These children often grow up feeling guilty about expressing joy, constantly apologising for their happiness. These individuals frequently struggle with depression and anxiety later in life. The good news? It’s never too late to reclaim your right to laugh. There is something magical about shared laughter that goes beyond individual benefits. When we laugh together, our bodies actually synchronise neurochemically. It is like our souls are dancing together, creating bonds that strengthen relationships and communities. Workplace studies show that teams with a healthy sense of humour tend to collaborate better, experience less conflict and demonstrate greater creativity. Laughter is contagious and that is a beautiful thing. Benefits of laughter: 0 Make it intentional : Aim for 15-30 minutes of genuine humour each day.

“From measurable brain chemistry changes to documented pain relief and

enhanced resilience, humour is one of the most accessible wellness tools we have. America First or more wars? The complex stakes of the Iran crisis

completely broken down. Yet even now, speculation persists that – under pressure from Israel’s actions and backed by a major US naval taskforce heading towards the Persian Gulf – Trump may try to use this opportunity to achieve a breakthrough deal. When asked by reporters if he might send Vice President JD Vance and negotiator Steve Witkoff to Iran for this purpose, Trump did not rule it out. “Peace through strength” is a slogan the president frequently uses, but so far in his presidency, it has seldom worked out in practice. This time, the world must hope, will be different. If diplomacy fails, Trump could simply allow Israel to continue its efforts to eliminate Iran’s nuclear capabilities and destabilise the theocratic regime, paving the way for its overthrow by the Iranian people. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made no secret of his wish for “regime change”. He has addressed the “Persian” people directly and posed for a photograph with the exiled son of Iran’s last Shah, who was overthrown by the ayatollahs during the 1979 revolution. Subcontracting the task of disarming Iran and persuading its people to replace their government with a more palatable, peace loving alternative – without any direct US involvement – likely holds some appeal for American foreign policy, even though Trump reportedly vetoed an assassination attempt on Iran’s supreme leader. That carries significant risks, however, which will be apparent to the defence, security and state department officials briefing Trump. For several weeks, Israel has used the George W. Bush playbook from the last Gulf War to justify its attacks in Iran – a pre-emptive military strike aimed at eliminating the threat of weapons of mass destruction. Like the Americans did with Saddam Hussein, Israel is also presenting regime change as an alternative to destruction and defeat. A similar ultimatum is now being issued by Trump, with Israeli backing: give up your nukes and you can stay in power. If not... But the world knows how that Iraqi story

If America intervenes or acquiesces in Israel’s escalating campaign, the long-feared regional conflagration between Israel and Iran would no longer remain a private dispute between the two regional superpowers of Israel and Iran. – AFPPIC

Ukraine. What would Vladimir Putin do to protect his interests? If America intervenes or acquiesces in Israel’s escalating campaign, the long-feared regional conflagration between Israel and Iran would no longer remain a private dispute between the two regional superpowers of Israel and Iran. This is especially true given the ongoing involvement of Tehran’s proxy groups – Hezbollah, the Houthi rebels, and above all, Hamas. The more nations and groups become involved, the more unpredictable events will become, and the harder it will be for America to control them. Instead of ending far-away wars, this“America First” approach is pulling the country into even more conflicts. That is very much“big stuff”– and carries big risks. – The Independent

ended – a fractured country that fell into civil war and the rise of Isis, an even more brutal and dangerous force than the Baathists. The collapse of Iran into chaos and civil war would be a far greater disaster for the world than anything that has happened in Iraq, Libya, Syria or Afghanistan, in terms of the consequences of transforming a stable (if malign) state into a failed one. Iran is in another league of military and political importance. If there was fighting for control of Iran – and the ayatollahs cannot be expected to meekly slink away to their holy places – then that would soon spread to Yemen and restart the horrific proxy war there with Saudi Arabia. Russia remains Iran’s friend and ally, and relies on its Shahed drones that proved so effective in