Mel Brooks turns 100 and reveals his secret to a long life
The comedy icon, the legend himself Mel Brooks, has turned 100 years old and he's using the milestone to share his hard-earned 'secret of life' for staying healthy and happy.
It's all about the laughs, baby
Probably as a surprise to no one, Brooks believes laughter is the true secret to a long and happy life.
Considering he has helmed such hilarious movies as "Blazing Saddles", "Spaceballs", "Young Frankenstein," and "The Producers," it's clear that comedy has always been a big part of his life.
“It’s an amazing sound, people laughing at something I created,” Brooks said in an interview with People earlier this year. “Making comedy is a great job. It keeps you sane and happy. It gives you a reason to be alive.”
Brooks is on to something
Laughter is medicine. Yeah, it's a saying that gets tossed out there, but there's actually some scientific data to back it up. A 2016 study that was published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine specifically looked at how a sense of humor can affect your risk of death.
The Norwegian researchers found that a sense of humor translated to a 48% lower risk of death from all causes.
That wasn't the only study either. A subsequent 2023 study showed that spontaneous laughter lowers your cortisol levels, which can help your mental well-being.
Brooks prefers to take the glass-half-full approach
Brooks also went on to say that he doesn't focus on death or dying. It's a cycle of thinking he just doesn't want to fall into.
“I enjoy living,” Brooks told the Associated Press in 2001. “I’d like to do it as long as I can.”
Your cue to find the humor in things
At the very least, Brooks is sending out a clear message that you need to find the humor in things, even when it seems tough.
