You’re a grown up; should you act silly for your health?
I’ve been revamping my whole life wellness assessment, which now includes the measurement of play in your life. Play? As it pertains to health? Huh?
Yes, play counts, too! It’s a new category that kept cropping up as a meaningful component of being fully well. That’s what I love about this whole life approach. I’m not only looking at nutrition and movement — though certainly they count — I now incorporate a range of areas to help show you what you specifically need to work on in order to insure great health.
If you don’t inject some playfulness into the serious work of being an adult, your health is going to suffer. Moments of silliness, joyfulness, playfulness and laughter all combine to make life more fun. And with that comes these potential health benefits:
• A boost in your mood, which most likely will put you on track to doing other things to take care of your health.
• A decrease in stress hormones.
• Improved oxygen flow to the brain.
• Relief of physical pain.
• Lowered blood pressure.
• A stronger immune system.
• An increase in blood flow, which helps protect your heart.
But I don’t want you to sigh and put play as another to do on your overburdened list. Just allow it to occur naturally. How? If playfulness is something you stored away with your high school yearbook, look here for inspiration:
• Your pets (or other people’s). Pets know how to play! They don’t stop and think about it, figure out what makes sense, decide if it fits their schedule, then make a spreadsheet on how to do it most effectively. Awhile ago, I had a guy here to clean my fireplace. He spread a big sheet over the floor to catch the dirt, then went out to get the rest of the things he needed. My senior cat — Lexie, 15 ½ — made the best use out of that sheet! She dove on it, rolled around on it, just had a heck of a good time. I had to laugh – and explain – when the guy came back in and saw his sheet all jumbled up. She seized the moment and made the best use out of it. Then went off and returned to looking all dignified and stuff!
• Babies and young children. See above! They know how to play and relish it. No worries about belly laughs or making funny faces or enjoying an empty box. And, so you don’t feel so awkward at first, you can join them in the pretense that you’re just trying to be a nice parent/aunt/uncle/grandparent/friend!
• Clerks, waitresses and other customer service type people. Try being playful with them; it’s interesting. And hugely worth it. I love seeing people perk up if I engage in some playful banter with them or if I am able to turn a frowning, crabby clerk into a smiling one. I’m sure it makes their days a lot better; it definitely improves my day; and it’s a great way to practice your playfulness.
Now, scoot … go out and play just like your mother told you!
