Why Laughter Is the Best Medicine (That Doesn’t Require A Co-Pay)

Published by Rick Morgan, a humor enthusiast who sees man-things through a comical lens.

Let’s be real. Life is stressful. The economy is confusing, your back hurts for no reason, and somehow your to-do list is longer at the end of the day than it was at the beginning. Scientists — actual ones in lab coats — have been telling us for decades that laughter reduces stress hormones, boosts immunity, and releases endorphins. In other words, a good laugh does basically the same thing as a jog.

Speaking of which: The first time I see a happy-looking jogger, I’ll consider it.

That’s not just a personal philosophy — it’s an actual Ham & Tees t-shirt, and honestly, it might be the most medically sound argument against cardio ever put on cotton. Why suffer through a 5K when you can get your endorphin fix from laughter instead? Your knees will thank you.

Laughter Reduces Stress (Clinically Proven, Shirt-Approved)

Cortisol is the stress hormone. It’s the thing that makes your jaw clench in traffic and your eye twitch during budget meetings. Laughter tanks cortisol levels fast. And nothing does it quicker than wearing your worldview on your chest.

Take the Ham & Tees classic: Hard Work Never Hurt Anyone — But Why Take the Risk. This shirt isn’t laziness. This is preventative healthcare. You’re protecting your cortisol levels. You’re basically a wellness influencer at this point.

And then there’s the deeply philosophical Procrastinators Unite… Tomorrow. Stress experts will tell you that one of the leading causes of burnout is taking everything too seriously. This shirt is essentially a prescription for mindfulness. The mindfulness just happens to involve the couch.

Humor Builds Social Bonds (Which Are Also Good for Your Health)

Humans are social creatures. Loneliness, research tells us, is as bad for you as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. The antidote? Connection. Laughter. And occasionally, a t-shirt that makes a stranger at the grocery store snort-laugh in the cereal aisle.

The Trophy Husband tee has probably started more conversations — and saved more marriages — than any therapist. It’s self-aware. It’s charming. It says: “Yes, I know exactly what I am, and I’ve fully committed to the bit.”

Similarly, If Found Please Return Me to My Dog is a masterclass in vulnerability. You’re telling the world: I have my priorities sorted. My dog is one of them. The rest of you are negotiable.

Humor Helps You Cope with the Indignities of Life

Golf. The sport invented specifically to test how many times a grown adult can curse in polite company. The Lying, Cheating, Swearing, Pissing in Public Funny Golfer Tee doesn’t just describe the game — it validates the experience. Wearing this shirt is cheaper than golf therapy, and golf therapy is definitely a thing people need.

Then there’s the retirement special: Doing Nothing Is Hard — Funny Retirement Tee. After 40 years of alarm clocks and mandatory fun at company retreats, a man earns the right to sit in his chair, cultivate what the True Measure of a Man shirt calls his “ass groove on the couch,” and call it personal development.

That’s not laziness. That’s earned leisure. There’s a difference. Wear the shirt and explain it to no one.

Humor Is the Ultimate Confidence Booster

The science here is simple: when you can laugh at yourself, you become nearly impossible to embarrass. It’s armor, but the comfortable kind. No chafing.

Whoever Says Nobody’s Perfect — Speak for Yourself is the energy we should all be walking around with. Not delusional. Not arrogant. Just magnificently, cheerfully unbothered.

And Please No Autographs? Pure genius. A man who wears this shirt has achieved a level of self-possession that most people spend decades in therapy trying to reach. He knows who he is. He’s at peace with it. The crowd is simply too much to handle today.

A Note on Self-Medication

Now, we’re not doctors here at Ham & Tees. We’re just people who believe that When I Read About the Evils of Drinking — I Gave Up Reading is a completely rational approach to wellness journalism.

And yes, My Sleep Routine: One Tequila, Two Tequila, Three Tequila, Floor may raise some eyebrows at your annual physical. But the doctor will be smiling while they write the notes. That counts.

Trust Me, You Can Dance. —Vodka is perhaps the most honest public health disclaimer ever printed on a garment. It acknowledges the source. It warns of the consequences. It lets you make an informed choice. That’s basically a consent form.

The Bottom Line

Humor doesn’t cure everything. But it makes most things survivable. It gets you through the Monday morning meetings, the golf courses, the retirement parties where someone inevitably gives a speech that goes 20 minutes too long. It connects strangers, disarms grumps, and turns an ordinary Tuesday into something worth telling someone about later.

And sometimes — just sometimes — it comes printed on a really good t-shirt.

Check out the full collection at hamandtees.com — made for men who’ve been there, done that, and live to laugh about it.

Free shipping on 2 or more. Because even your humor deserves a deal.

Ham & Tees is not responsible for: uncontrollable laughter in public spaces, strangers asking to photograph your shirt, or any lifestyle choices inspired by the Vodka tee.