Since I was a child, the ability to laugh has become somewhat of a survival mechanism. Having grown up with various types of abuse in our home, my siblings and I have had to find a means of escape. Being children, our imaginations helped us find humour in many things and we have all grown up with finely tuned senses of humour.
As a mature adult, sometimes laughter comes from some unexpected places, and has very surprising effects.
One day while visiting my eldest daughter, my middle daughter’s four year old girl wanted to play on the trampoline downstairs. I accompanied her to make sure she was safe. We played a bit of tag and then her mother came downstairs and suggested I get on the trampoline. Now I am not a small person and could not see me bouncing up and down, so I climbed onto the trampoline, and just lay there, with my grand-daughter bouncing around me. There is nothing quite as weird as laying on your back being bounced on a trampoline: It joggles your brain, electrically charges your hair and gives you a dreadful case of the giggles.
Because it made me laugh, my grand-daughter thought I was thoroughly enjoying it and bounced even harder, which increased the effects. By the time I managed to climb off, my stomach muscles were sore, tears were rolling down my cheeks and my hair was standing up on end. I was exhausted… but I felt pretty good considering.
My daughter couldn’t believe how I seemingly lost control and thought it was amazing…she had never seen me laugh so hard. And every time we went to her sister’s house, she would suggest I go and PLAY on the trampoline.
Could this be the result of my trampoline experience? I’m pretty sure it was, as I have repeated the “process” again with the same result.
So if you need a stress release exercise or have trouble sleeping…seriously you have to give this a try…but you have to have fun doing it…It’s the LAUGHING that does the trick.
By Toni Paton
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