Healthy Brains Through Gratitude, Laughter, and Physical Touch

Healthy Brains through Gratitude, Laughter, and Physical Touch.

There is no such thing as a “brain expert.” The human brain is the most complex and least understood aspect of the human being, which makes it the most mystifying piece of creation ever. Sophisticated brain scans reveal more every day about how our compact brain operates around the clock, every minute, every second, every millisecond. We are learning more now about the brain since technology has advanced so amazingly with everything from MRI to EEG to PET scans and a host of other ways of studying this little three-pound organ, and there is always more to discover about how Creator God has designed it and included it with His final pronouncement of “Very Good!” Most of what we know about the human brain now has been discovered since 2010, including some fun facts like these about our miraculous brain and the thought-making process.

Spiritual Health Food for our Miraculous Brain. The Ford Motor Company has designed their cars and trucks to run efficiently if they are taken care of in the way the builders intended. They have carefully written a Maintenance Manual for this very reason. Creator God has designed our human bodies, including our amazing brains, to operate at peak efficiency as long as we maintain them the way God intended. If we fill up a car or truck with bad gas or faulty oil, then the vehicle will not perform the way it was designed if at all. If we don’t feed our brains with what is healthy as instructed by His maintenance manual, the Scripture, then we can’t expect our brains to function up to God’s standards.

As it turns out, all the latest brain research has discovered that the guidelines that God put in His manual is precisely the best way to keep the brain operating at the highest levels. The Bible’s instructions are not a form of punishment or a way to limit our options, but instead the only way to enable our brains to flourish and keep us on the road. As God has proven time and again… He loves us, He wants what’s best for us, and He will help us in every way possible to have a fulfilling and satisfying life full of purpose and meaning. So God has profoundly instructed us to develop a certain mindset… live with gratitude; learn to forgive; seek peace of mind; be hopeful; learn to laugh; remain connected to others, especially through human touch.

A New Commercial. In the 1980’s there were popular anti-drug commercials on television that had an authoritative voice warning the viewers… “See this egg? This is your brain. See this hot frying pan? That’s drugs. And now look at this frying egg in the hot pan… That’s right, this is your brain on drugs.” And now, based on the latest brain studies, let’s do a modern version of that commercial… “See this fertile plot of land? That’s your brain. See this flourishing garden on that plot of land? That’s what happens when you are grateful, and forgiving, and hopeful, and at peace within, and laughing, and are physically connected to others.” 

The Practicality of Biblical Attitudes. Those aspects of our thought-life mentioned above are scientifically certified to enable us to use our brains, maybe God’s greatest invention besides music, to live into His fullest potential while on earth. Isn’t it fascinating that gratitude, forgiveness, hope, peace of mind, laughter, and human touch all trigger a release of neurotransmitters that enable us to function at the highest level possible? These brain chemicals are hormones like dopamine, which enhances contentment and motivation; and serotonin, which helps to elevate mood; and oxytocin, which enables us to bond more closely with others. At the same time these biblical attitudes are enabling our brains to form new neural pathways that are healthy, these God-blessed thoughts are also lowering the effects of cortisol, our stress hormone.

This means that our brain’s fear and alarm centers in our amygdala are quieted as we count our blessings, forgive others, revel in hopefulness, experience shalom, enjoy a belly laugh, and engage in physical touch. By activating our parasympathetic nervous system with these actions and attitudes, our anxiety and fearfulness are reduced. It seems miraculous that we are able to physically rewire our brain chemistry in a positive direction by simply obeying the Lord our God! The bonus is that the more we are able to cultivate these attitudes, the stronger and more entrenched the neural pathways become, and the more permanent those attitudes become in our daily life. We are what we think, and the more we think certain ways, then those attitudes define who we are and reveal how magnificently our God-made brains are able to function.

(1.) The Neuroscience of Gratitude. Who knew that by simply following David’s instructions in Psalm 103, to “forget not all His benefits,” we would be helping our brains to function at optimum levels? Who knew that by singing the old hymn “Count your blessings, name them one by one,” we would be increasing the volume of our brain’s gray matter and keep ourselves mentally balanced? The Hebrew word for “benefits” literally means “blessings.” So, what is thoroughly biblical is also completely brain-healthy. It’s crucial that we develop a grateful heart that is thankful for God’s acts of good will, for deeds of kindness done by others, for His divine and unearned favors and graces, for the Lord’s demonstrations of bountiful mercies. It’s true that as we cultivate an attitude of thankfulness, we release those “feel-good” neurotransmitters in our brain, and become more efficient at spotting the positives, and more adept at keeping a light-hearted look at daily life. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits… Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places… My cup overflows… From the fullness of Jesus we have received gift after gift, grace upon grace, one gracious blessing after another… So give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (Ps. 103:1-2; Ephesians 1:3; Ps. 23:6; John 1:16; 1 Thess. 5:18).

(2.) The Neuroscience of Laughter. Isn’t it great that our Creator God designed our brains to literally thrive on laughter, to flourish when we experience joy and humor? We’ve all heard the cliche, “Laughter is the best medicine,” but sometimes cliches are true. Brain scans have revealed that laughter is an important mental exercise that triggers all kind of healthy chemical changes in the brain that enhances both cognitive function and emotional well-being. It is now proven that laughter increases the brain’s production of natural painkillers and stress relievers. When we laugh, our cerebral blood flow improves and stimulates circulation to the brain, which means our brain can then take in more oxygen and nutrients. While the “feel-good” neurotransmitters are flowing more heavily, the stress hormones are significantly decreasing, which in turn helps regulate heart rhythm, lower blood pressure, and benefit the immune system. Laughter affects the brain’s blood flow, which directly strengthens the prefrontal cortex, which will enhance learning, memory, motivation, and creative thinking. Laughter also helps the brain to function better by aiding in muscle relaxation when tight, tensed or constricted. All these crazy stories of hospital patients dramatically improving after watching Groucho Marx movies aren’t so crazy after all! Perhaps every hospital visitor needs to make sure he is bringing with him a storehouse of jokes and funny stories along with the heartfelt sympathy and prayerful words of wisdom. Maybe hilarious jokes ARE words of wisdom and healing! “It was like a dream come true when you freed us from our bondage and brought us back to Zion! We laughed and laughed and overflowed with gladness. We were left shouting for joy and singing your praise.” (Ps. 126:1-2). God created us with the ability to laugh, and it is one of His greatest gifts, right there next to music. There will be those joyous times when we laugh our prayers to God. When we direct our prayerful laugh to God, He listens and it gladdens God’s heart. When He created us in His image, laughter was a part of the package deal, since we know God is a God of joy. If we couldn’t laugh, how could we express joy and gladness? How could we lighten our hearts along with God’s? Of course, there are many kinds of laughter, and some of them are downright devious. This was called the “laughter of fools” by the Preacher in Ecclesiastes 7:6, and could include the laughter of ridicule, of derision, of arrogance. But could we even call that laughter? Thomas Howard had these pearls of wisdom in his remarks to his college students: “I myself have wondered, now and again, whether a sense of humor is not a sort of natural capacity in us humans that’s some sort of a reflection of holiness. Humor has something to do with humility – pompous people can’t laugh. And with simplicity – sophisticated people can only offer tinkling and silvery mockery. And with purity of heart – lechers and gluttons can only leer. And with grace – clods and oafs can only grunt. And with charity – egotists are seldom amused. I think the saints are full of merriment. I want to introduce my children to at least the early reaches of those hilarious regions that we call Glory.” Laughter comes so naturally to us that researchers have determined that laughter sounds come from babies as young as five months. Babies learn to laugh before they learn how to speak! Right from the start, then, we all have been given the instinct to laugh and help our brains to flourish.

(3.) The Neuroscience of Physical Touch. “The touch of His hand healed everyone who came to Him.” (Luke 4:40). Jesus’ divine method of healing primarily included the human touch. He engaged in a ministry of touch, because He knew how the human body was made. He was the co-Creator and realized the importance of touch as He met with people in every situation imaginable. Jesus knew that nothing establishes the human connection like touch. Being the co-designer of the human body, Jesus understood the importance of touch. In psychological studies, it is estimated that each person needs 8-10 meaningful touches each day for emotional and physical health. In fact, human touch has several physical benefits. The hands of blessing are especially important in establishing sensitive connections, since one-third of our five million touch receptors are located in the hands. It’s also interesting that, when touched by hands, a person’s body tissues immediately receive from the brain an influx of added oxygen. This oxygen provides energy and it aids in regeneration of body tissues. Touch is literally a healing agent. And too, physical touch lowers the blood pressure of the person being touched in a meaningful way. Innocent and loving physical touch strengthen brain chemistry and is the most intimate and helpful way we can minister to others when appropriate. Out of our five senses, our ability to touch and feel the touch is the first one to develop while we are growing in our mother’s womb. Before any of our other senses, the fetus first develops the sense of touch. We were created to touch and be touched, it’s what makes and keeps us human. Our skin is by far our largest sensory organ, with millions of sensitive nerve endings. When we are touched, it has a significant impact on us, body, mind and spirit. Whenever someone is touched, there is a neurochemical charge that releases what is called “the bonding hormone.” This hormone, oxytocin, releases pleasurable hormones like dopamine and serotonin, and activates the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is a major component of the central nervous system, and impacts body functions like digestion, heart rate, and the immune system. The end result of touch is that it stimulates the parts of our body that lowers blood pressure, relieves stress, and sends information that helps that body cope with anxiety and fear. Scientists call touch “the primary language of compassion,” because that is what is communicated with simple human touch. Touch is life-affirming, intimate, and confirms that the person being touched has value and is worthwhile. Touch is so profound that infants who are not touched or held, who are left alone without the benefit of human touch, are irreversibly harmed in their development. It is practically impossible for these young children to connect with people as they grow into adulthood. Likewise, those who are isolated in nursing homes and hospitals yearn for nothing more than simple human touch. So when a person is touched in a compassionate, safe way, in a way that makes the person being touched feel secure and accepted, the effects are felt powerfully throughout the body and literally in the person’s brain and psyche.