o find it hard to believe that so many people tell me they don’t laugh as much as they used to.

I know that life brings us its inevitable ups and downs. But, if you’re not in the midst of a monumental crisis, laughing should be easy. You may be thinking, ‘’Easy for you to say; you’re naturally funny.’’ Well, there’s a lot of truth to that. I have a natural propensity to be able get others to giggle and guffaw. Practically everyone in my family was comedic. So genetics does have something to do with it.

However, I believe we can hone our sense of humour by using it regularly. It gets rusty when we toss it aside because our lives are focused on the serious task of getting through the day…as if we’re waiting for the parole board to give us time off for good behavior.

The best way to get laughter to be part of your daily existence is to become more observant - not in a way that creates another job, but more as a witness to the absurdity that’s available in many areas of life. Drug commercials in print and on television always crack me up. We’ve become such a nation of pill-poppers that there’s a medication for practically every condition known to man. Too much gas and bloating, indigestion, diarrhea, impotence, hair loss, menopause, toe fungus, scaly, itchy skin, flaky scalp, allergies, yellow teeth, hammertoes and wrinkles are just a sampling of what we’re exposed to almost every day.

I’m beginning to think there’s some plot by drug companies to create a nation of hypochondriacs. You almost feel as if there’s something wrong with you even if ‘’nothing’’ is wrong with you! The other day my friend Susan sent me an ad she thought I’d really get a chuckle out of. –She was right. If you’re paying attention, humour is everywhere!

One of the biggest complaints of people is their struggle with sleep. There are medical conditions that create the inability to sleep restfully, but a lot of it comes from the stress people impose upon themselves.

A mind filled with ‘’awfulizing’’ about what has to be done can’t shut down.

And so the latest, greatest antidote is something called Lunesta. I love the name. Sounds very Winnie the Pooh. Curl up with your blankie and Winnie and embrace the wonders of a restful sleep. The ad says that it ‘’not only helps most people fall asleep fast, but it helps you sleep all through the night, peacefully, uninterrupted. It works quickly, so you should take it right before bed.’’ When else would I take this medication if not before I went to bed? I don’t think I would take it right before I went to the supermarket. Unless, I want to be found snoring in the vegetable aisle.

And the best part of this drug is the safety concern: Lunesta may cause drowsiness.