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Unpacking Your Mind 25

Most people find it helpful to have a good breakfast after not hav-
ing eaten for many hours. And even if you do not feel hungry, you
may well find it beneficial to eat a fruit such as a banana before you
go to work.

LAUGHTER, MUSIC, AND SLEEP

There are other ways of feeding the mind. When the eighteenth-
century writer Joseph Addison said that “man is distinguished from
all other creatures by the faculty of laughter,” he was not only cor-
rect but also, perhaps unwittingly, drawing attention to a vital char-
acteristic of our species. Did you know that children laugh some
300 times a day, whereas we miserable adults are closer to 50 if
we’re lucky?
Laughter is important because when we laugh we reduce our
stress levels. Laughter leads to a decrease in the amount of cortisol
flowing through our system. That is why it is always helpful when
someone diffuses a difficult situation by making us laugh. Research
has shown that laughter also improves the immune system and
leads to better problem solving.

What do you do to make sure there is enough laughter in your life?

Music is another source of comfort. There are quite a few misleading
claims currently being made for the effect of music on the brain,
mainly by those with a proprietary product to sell to parents wanting
the best for their growing child! Unfortunately, just as there is no
magic formula for a brain-expanding diet, you cannot become more
naturally intelligent simply by listening to certain kinds of music. Nor
will listening to music guarantee a good memory.
However, research has shown that music, as well as being
extremely enjoyable, can help in a number of ways. It seems that
when we listen to music, both sides of the brain are involved in pro-
cessing the melodies and patterns. This would seem to suggest that
listening to music engages a significant amount of our brain and
that it may be good preparation for learning.