WHEN DID YOU LAST LAUGH UNTIL YOU CRIED?

And why don't we make more room for that?

You know the sort of laughter I mean.

The kind where you can't get your words out.

Your stomach hurts. Your eyes are streaming. Someone only has to look at you and you start all over again.

You've completely lost control of yourself.

And just when you think you've recovered, somebody says, “Stop it, I'm going to wet myself!”

Which, naturally, makes everything ten times worse.

It's ridiculous.

It's undignified.

And it's absolutely wonderful.

Now here's a question.

When did you last laugh like that?

Not a polite chuckle at somebody's joke.

Not a little smile at something on your phone.

I mean proper, helpless, uncontrollable laughter.

The sort that leaves you feeling strangely lighter afterwards.

And perhaps more importantly, when did we all become so terribly serious?

Whatever happened to being silly?

Think about children.

They laugh at the most extraordinary things.

A funny noise.

A ridiculous face.

Someone falling over a cushion.

The same joke repeated seventeen times.

They don't need a special occasion, a glass of wine or permission to enjoy themselves.

They simply find something funny.

And off they go.

As adults, we tend to become rather more restrained.

We have jobs, mortgages, relationships, responsibilities, children, ageing parents, health concerns and endless lists of things that need doing.

We're busy being sensible.

And somewhere along the way, playfulness can begin to feel like something we ought to have grown out of.

After all, we're adults now.

We have important things to think about.

But who decided that growing up meant becoming serious all the time?

Being responsible and being playful aren't mutually exclusive.

You can be an intelligent, capable, thoughtful adult and still find yourself crying with laughter over something completely idiotic.

In fact, perhaps we could do with a little more of it.

Why does laughing with someone feel so good?

There's something particularly special about shared laughter.

You can watch a funny film on your own and thoroughly enjoy it.

But watching it with someone who finds exactly the same things hilarious can make the experience even better.

And sometimes the funniest moments aren't actually very funny when you try to explain them afterwards.

“Well, you had to be there.”

We've all said it.

Because the humour wasn't simply in what happened.

It was in the people, the timing, the shared understanding and the absurdity of the moment.

Perhaps you and a friend have a running joke that nobody else understands.

Perhaps a family story becomes funnier every time it's retold.

Perhaps someone only has to raise an eyebrow across the table and you're both gone.

Those moments create a sense of connection.

Shared laughter can be a way of saying, without words, “You and I understand each other.”

And that feeling of being understood is an important part of human connection.

Laughter is social glue

Humour often helps people feel more comfortable with one another.

It can break the ice with strangers.

Ease an awkward moment.

Help a group feel connected.

Or make a difficult situation feel a little less intimidating.

Think about meeting someone new.

You might have a perfectly pleasant conversation about work, the weather or where you live.

But the moment you discover that you share the same slightly ridiculous sense of humour, something changes.

You relax.

The conversation becomes easier.

You begin to feel that you're on the same wavelength.

Of course, humour isn't the only way we connect, and not everybody expresses it in the same way.

But laughing together can help create warmth, familiarity and a sense of belonging.

And sometimes, a friendship is built as much on the things you find funny together as on the serious conversations you have.

The people who bring out your ridiculous side

We all have different relationships with different people.

There are friends we turn to for advice.

People we have deep conversations with.

People who share our interests.

People who challenge us intellectually.

And then there are the people who bring out our completely ridiculous side.

The ones with whom you can be utterly silly.

Who don't mind if you make a fool of yourself.

Who can turn a perfectly ordinary lunch into an afternoon of hysterics.

Who know exactly what you're thinking from one look.

These relationships can be enormously valuable.

Because they allow us to step away, temporarily, from all the roles we play in everyday life.

We're not being the responsible parent.

The efficient employee.

The supportive partner.

The sensible grown-up.

We're simply being ourselves.

Or perhaps a slightly less dignified version of ourselves.

Who are the people you laugh most freely with?

And are you spending enough time with them?

What actually happens when we laugh?

Laughter isn't just something we experience in our minds.

It's a physical response too.

When we laugh, our breathing changes, our facial muscles become active and our bodies engage in a series of coordinated movements.

Laughter also involves brain systems associated with emotion, reward and social interaction.

Research suggests that laughter and enjoyable social experiences can help reduce feelings of stress, improve mood and support social connection.

Some studies have also explored laughter's effects on pain perception and physiological stress responses.

But we should be careful not to turn this into another exaggerated wellness claim.

Laughter isn't a cure for illness.

It doesn't replace sleep, exercise, therapy or medical treatment.

And we don't need to force ourselves to laugh a prescribed number of times a day to achieve optimal health.

That would rather spoil the point.

The value of laughter isn't simply what it might do for our bodies. It's also that it makes life more enjoyable.

And surely that's reason enough to make room for it.

Humour can change how we experience difficult situations

Life can be hard.

Relationships break down.

People become ill.

We experience loss, disappointment, uncertainty and stress.

And sometimes, even in the middle of something genuinely difficult, something funny happens.

Perhaps somebody makes an absurd observation.

Perhaps an awkward situation becomes unintentionally hilarious.

Perhaps you find yourself laughing at the sheer ridiculousness of what's happening.

That doesn't mean you aren't taking the situation seriously.

It doesn't mean you don't care.

And it certainly doesn't mean the difficulty has disappeared.

But humour can sometimes offer a brief moment of relief.

A little breathing space.

An opportunity to see something from a different perspective.

In some circumstances, it can help people cope with experiences that would otherwise feel overwhelming.

Of course, timing matters.

Not everybody wants humour when they're distressed.

And a joke that comforts one person might upset another.

But when humour is shared and welcome, it can be a surprisingly powerful form of connection.

Sometimes laughter doesn't make the problem smaller. It simply makes the moment feel a little more bearable.

Laughing with someone — or at someone?

Not all humour has the same effect.

There's a difference between laughing with somebody and laughing at them.

Playful teasing between close friends can be affectionate and enjoyable when everybody understands and welcomes it.

But jokes can also be used to embarrass, exclude, belittle or disguise criticism.

“Oh, don't be so sensitive. It was only a joke.”

We've probably all heard that one.

But something doesn't automatically become harmless because somebody describes it as humour.

A useful question is:

Is everybody enjoying the joke?

If one person is repeatedly the target and isn't finding it funny, the laughter may be creating distance rather than connection.

Humour can bring people together.

But it can also be used to avoid difficult conversations, dismiss feelings or establish power over somebody else.

The intention matters.

And so does the impact.

Have you lost your sense of humour — or just lost the opportunity to use it?

Sometimes people say:

“I don't laugh like I used to.”

And perhaps they don't.

But that doesn't necessarily mean their personality has changed.

Maybe their circumstances have.

Perhaps they don't see their friends as often.

Perhaps work has become all-consuming.

Perhaps they're dealing with illness, grief, caring responsibilities or relationship difficulties.

Perhaps they're exhausted.

Or perhaps their days have become so structured around responsibilities that there's very little opportunity for spontaneity.

It's difficult to find life hilarious when you're constantly operating in problem-solving mode.

And if you've been under pressure for a long time, you may simply have less emotional energy for playfulness.

That doesn't mean you should force yourself to be cheerful.

Sometimes life genuinely isn't funny.

But it may be worth asking:

Have I lost my sense of humour, or have I stopped spending time doing the things — and seeing the people — that bring it out?

That's a very different question.

Why do we sometimes stop being playful as we get older?

Ageing doesn't automatically make us less playful.

Plenty of older adults have wonderfully mischievous senses of humour.

But life experience can change the opportunities we have.

We may become more self-conscious.

More concerned about how we appear.

More accustomed to behaving in certain ways.

We might feel that silliness is inappropriate at our age.

Or perhaps we've simply forgotten how enjoyable it is to do something without needing to be good at it.

Think about dancing.

Singing badly in the car.

Playing games.

Dressing up.

Trying something ridiculous.

Making up silly names for things.

Having an utterly pointless conversation that makes everybody laugh.

Children don't generally worry about whether they're demonstrating sufficient maturity.

Adults sometimes do.

But being playful doesn't mean being childish. It means allowing ourselves to enjoy a part of life that doesn't have to be serious, useful or productive.

And that's something worth preserving at every age.

The trouble with trying to schedule fun

Now, I'm a great believer in building helpful habits and making time for things that matter.

But there's something slightly absurd about the idea of putting “Laugh uncontrollably — 3.30 to 4.00 pm” in your diary.

It doesn't quite work like that.

The best laughter is often spontaneous.

It happens when we're relaxed, connected and not trying particularly hard to make anything happen.

So perhaps the aim isn't to schedule laughter itself.

It's to create more opportunities for it.

Spend time with people whose company you genuinely enjoy.

Do things that encourage playfulness.

Allow conversations to wander.

Watch something funny together.

Try an activity where nobody has to be particularly good.

Be willing to look a little foolish occasionally.

And perhaps stop filling every spare moment with something useful.

You can't guarantee a good laugh. But you can make more room for the possibility.

A sense of humour about ourselves

Here's another interesting aspect of humour.

How easily can you laugh at yourself?

Not in a cruel or self-critical way.

But with a little affection for your own imperfections.

Perhaps you've made a ridiculous mistake.

Misunderstood something completely.

Walked into the wrong room.

Said something spectacularly daft.

Or spent ten minutes looking for your glasses while wearing them.

Being able to see the funny side of our own everyday mishaps can help us take ourselves a little less seriously.

And that can be rather liberating.

But there's an important distinction.

Laughing affectionately at your own mistakes isn't the same as constantly putting yourself down.

Some people use self-deprecating humour because it feels safer to criticise themselves before somebody else does.

A little self-mockery can be charming.

But if every joke you make about yourself is really another way of saying you're inadequate, it might be worth noticing.

Humour should ideally leave us feeling lighter, not smaller.

Humour and the Fusion Wellness Wheel

Laughter might seem like a rather frivolous subject for a wellbeing programme.

But it connects with several areas of the Fusion Wellness Wheel.

Relationships & Connection

Shared humour can strengthen friendships, create closeness and help us feel that we belong.

Emotional Wellbeing

Enjoyable laughter may provide temporary relief from stress, lift our mood and offer a different perspective on everyday difficulties.

Personal Growth & Fulfilment

Playfulness, spontaneity and enjoyment contribute to a life that feels rewarding rather than simply productive.

Lifestyle & Environment

Our routines and surroundings can either create opportunities for social connection and fun or leave very little room for them.

Work, Career & Purpose

Appropriate humour can make working relationships warmer and everyday challenges feel more manageable.

Sleep & Recovery

An enjoyable, relaxing evening with friends may help us unwind, although laughter isn't a substitute for adequate sleep or recovery.

And here's the important point.

We can spend an enormous amount of time concentrating on nutrition, fitness, productivity and healthy habits while overlooking something as simple as whether we're enjoying ourselves.

Wellbeing isn't only about preventing problems. It's also about having experiences that make life worth living.

Are you having enough fun with the people you love?

Relationships can become surprisingly practical.

Couples spend their evenings discussing children, work, bills and household arrangements.

Friends catch up on what's been happening, share worries and exchange advice.

Families coordinate diaries, appointments and responsibilities.

All important.

But sometimes we forget to play together.

When did you last do something silly with your partner?

When did you last have a genuinely funny evening with friends?

When did you last laugh with your children rather than simply organise them?

When did you last do something for no other reason than you thought it might be amusing?

We often assume that laughter will happen naturally if we're happy.

But perhaps there's something to be said for creating more opportunities to enjoy one another.

Not every conversation needs to be meaningful.

Not every activity needs a purpose.

And not every evening needs to involve catching up on jobs.

Sometimes a ridiculous game, a funny story or an utterly daft conversation is exactly what we need.

A little exercise — your laughter audit

Think about the past few weeks.

1. When did you last have a really good laugh?

What were you doing?

Who were you with?

What made it so funny?

2. Who brings out your playful side?

Are there particular people with whom you feel especially relaxed, silly or spontaneous?

3. How often do you see them?

Has life become so busy that those relationships have slipped down your list of priorities?

4. What makes you laugh?

Funny films?

Stand-up comedy?

Absurd situations?

Games?

Witty conversations?

Shared memories?

Your own terrible dancing?

5. What gets in the way?

Time?

Tiredness?

Stress?

Self-consciousness?

A lack of opportunities?

Or the feeling that there are more important things you ought to be doing?

6. What could you make more room for?

Not a rigid laughter target.

Just one enjoyable activity, conversation or social occasion that might bring a little more lightness into your week.

Some questions worth sitting with

1. When did I last laugh until I cried?

2. Who makes me laugh more than anybody else?

3. Do I spend enough time with people who bring out my playful side?

4. Has my life become more serious than I'd like?

5. Am I comfortable being silly, or do I worry about looking foolish?

6. Do I use humour to connect with people, or sometimes to avoid difficult feelings?

7. Can I laugh at my own mistakes without being unkind to myself?

8. Have stress, responsibilities or life changes affected how often I laugh?

9. What did I find hilarious when I was younger?

10. What could I do to bring a little more humour, spontaneity and lightness into my everyday life?

The Fusion philosophy — living well should include enjoying life

At Fusion Fit, I talk about moving well, eating well and living well.

But living well isn't just about health checks, exercise routines, balanced meals and good sleep.

It's about connection.

Enjoyment.

Friendship.

Confidence.

Feeling comfortable being ourselves.

And having moments that make us genuinely glad to be alive.

We can become so focused on improving ourselves that we forget to enjoy ourselves.

Another goal.

Another habit.

Another thing to work on.

But perhaps sometimes we don't need another self-improvement project.

Perhaps we need an evening with friends who make us laugh.

A ridiculous conversation.

A silly game.

A little spontaneity.

Or simply permission not to take everything quite so seriously.

Something to take away

Life will always involve responsibilities.

There will be difficult periods, serious decisions and things that genuinely deserve our attention.

We can't laugh our way out of every problem.

And nobody needs to feel guilty for not being cheerful when life is hard.

But perhaps we could make a little more room for the moments that remind us how enjoyable life can be.

The moments when we forget about the washing, the emails, the deadlines and everything else on our minds.

When we're not trying to achieve anything.

When we're not being sensible or productive.

When we're simply laughing with someone we love.

And perhaps, twenty years from now, those are some of the moments we'll remember most fondly.

Not the perfectly organised cupboards.

Not the emails we answered.

Not the endless lists we completed.

But the people, the stories and the times we laughed so hard we could barely breathe.

After all, a life well lived shouldn't just look good on paper. It should have a few absolutely ridiculous moments in it too.

Something to think about, don't you think?

FUSION FIT UK
MOVE WELL • EAT WELL • LIVE WELL