"Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine"

Humor has long been recognized as a vital coping mechanism, an emotional balm against life’s many trials. When Lord Byron encourages laughter as “cheap medicine,” he alludes to its accessibility and healing power. Unlike physical remedies which may be costly, hard to obtain, or have side effects, laughter is free and immediately available to nearly everyone. Through moments of levity, stressful situations become lighter, relationships are reinforced, and one’s outlook is subtly shifted toward hope and resilience.

Laughter engages both body and mind, releasing endorphins that naturally boost mood and reduce pain. It disrupts cycles of worry or rumination, serving as a brief but potent reset for weary spirits. Shared laughter in particular fosters connection, reminding us that we are not isolated in our struggles. In communal mirth, burdens can somehow seem halved or at least more manageable. The advice to laugh “when you can” is a gentle nudge to remain open to those moments of joy, no matter how fleeting or unexpected they may be.

Byron’s words also hint at the deeper choice involved in embracing laughter. Life is often colored by hardship and sorrow, but humor can be a conscious act of defiance, a refusal to let adversity have the final say. To laugh is not to deny reality but to face it on one’s own terms, armed with perspective and humility. Laughter can be an antidote to cynicism, a reminder of all that remains beautiful and absurd in the world.

In daily living, these words encourage a mindset shift, not waiting for laughter, but seeking opportunities to find and share it. Whether in the absurdities of everyday life, in the warmth of companionship, or even in one’s foibles, humor is always available as a natural, restorative medicine for mind and soul.