Photograph: Kenny Bieber @capturesbykennedy
Live comedy is good for you
By Naaima Abd-Elhameed
When was the last time you’ve been to a live comedy show? Or have you ever attended a live comedy show?
Maybe you drag your friends or your coworkers to a comedy show on a random Tuesday night for a different kind of night out, have a great time, and then forget all about going to comedy shows for the next year or two. Or perhaps you’ve never thought twice about going to see a stand-up show.
But there are actually quite a few different benefits of live comedy, so maybe this could inspire your next night out or a good time with your coworkers after a busy day at the office.
If you didn’t know, humor has actually been used across various cultures as a form of healing, with historical references tracing back to ancient texts. Humor therapy is also used in modern practices by trained professionals, and that is because laughter has the ability to boost our immune systems and essentially reduce our stress-related hormones.
To build on that, the release of hormones such as dopamine and endorphins can reduce our perception of pain, as well as stress and anxiety. So perhaps a comedy show after a hectic day at work can be a lot more effective than we may think.
Beyond the mental and emotional benefits of comedy, laughter is a great way to strengthen our relationships and bonds with each other. More specifically, one study found that bonding through laughter is about a “shared cortical memory about positive interactions between specific individuals.”
Laughter being identified as a “social signal of wellness” coupled with the association to positive interactions and memories is how these bonds are formed and developed over time. It would then make sense that the people we have the strongest bonds with are the ones that we end up laughing the most with.
If you’re in need of a good laugh, the Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) is actually hosting two live shows with former “America’s Got Talent” finalist, Preacher Lawson on April 25. Whether you want an early night or a late-night set, you can catch him at either 7 p.m. or 9:30 p.m. at Hamilton Stage.
Choosing a night at a local venue like UCPAC makes it possible to invest in your wellness and social bonding at the same time. So the next time you and your friends are debating the activity for the next fun night out, maybe consider going to a live comedy show near you!