Humor

Humor utilised as a healthy coping strategy may have beneficial effects on emotional and mental health. Stressful circumstances can and often are mitigated by having a humorous outlook on life. This coping strategy is associated with favourable emotional states and is seen as an indicator of mental wellness. Physiological processes are also altered by the use of humour. Laughing, for example, may relieve muscle tension, boost oxygen flow to the blood, exercise the cardiovascular zone, and release endorphins in the body. Using comedy to cope with feelings can vary depending on life circumstances and individual humour types.

In the case of sadness and loss in life, it has been discovered that real laughs/smiles when discussing the loss predicted subsequent adjustment and elicited more favourable responses from others. A person may also find comic relief with others when discussing absurd possible scenarios for the deceased funeral service. It is also feasible that people will use comedy to gain control over a more powerless circumstance and to momentarily escape a sense of powerlessness. Humor can be a sign of positive adjustment, attracting support and involvement from those around the loss.