SCUD DAY

SCUD DAY

July 8th is SCUD Day, your open invitation to step away from stressful conflicts, toxic gossip, and overwhelming news feeds and replace them with pure, lighthearted silliness. Spend the next 24 hours savoring comedy and unplugging from drama.

#SCUDDay

SCUD is an acronym for a brilliant, stress-busting concept: Savor the Comic, Unplug the Drama. It makes sense that SCUD Day is a day all about mental health, mindfulness, and the medical benefits of laughter. After all, life is too important to ever be taken seriously. Today, we turn down the drama and dial up the comedy.

Choosing to be intentionally silly on any given day works wonders for your physical and mental health. In fact, there is psychological data backing up why taking time to laugh is beneficial to your overall health.

  • The Mayo Clinic notes that a deep, hearty laugh induces immediate, positive physical changes to your body. Laughing enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs, and muscles, and triggers a massive release of endorphins, which are your brain's feel-good chemicals.

  • Clinical research shows that watching a favorite comedy or laughing with friends for just 20 minutes can lower the cortisol levels (the stress hormone) significantly because it produces a calming effect on your nervous system.

  • Chronic drama and anxiety trigger a fight-or-flight response that actively suppresses your immune system. Being positive and lighthearted as much as possible can train your brain to fight stress and illness.

Changing your vocabulary for a "lighter" phrase will trick your brain into lowering its physiological stress response. Speaking to yourself in a kind, positive voice each time something stressful triggers you will change your entire outlook on any situation that disrupts your day.

Did you know you can pick up on people's moods and bad attitudes on social media?

We spend a lot of time interacting with people on social media platforms. Studies are showing that too much social media interaction is bad for your mental health, especially when we are involved in doomscrolling other people's drama. Intentionally stepping away from your device and avoiding comment sections for 24 hours allows your brain to refocus away from unnecessary stress that sneaks into our minds.

IDEAS TO CELEBRATE SCUD DAY

If you're ready to go drama-free, here are some ways to help you create your own comedy show:

  • Find a comedy on television that you know will make you laugh. Whether you enjoy Whether you enjoy The Office, Friends, Seinfeld, or Parks and Rec, we want you to hear your laugh all the way in North Dakota.

  • Find a local comedy club, open-mic night, or improv comedy event in your town or city. Live laughter is infectious and being around others who are laughing will make you laugh more, too!

  • If you work in a high-stress office or have a busy household, set joke jar out on the counter. Ask everyone to drop in a funny joke or an awkward memory story. Whenever the mood seems to be tense, pull out a slip and read it. This will help everyone shift their mood quickly.

  • Make fun of yourself for every mistake you make. This will teach you to shrug your shoulders, find the humor in the situation, and move on.

  • Share your favorite jokes, funny memes, silly animal videos, or positive affirmations on social media using the hashtag #SCUDDay.

SCUD DAY ORIGINS

SCUD Day was officially created in 2007 by Stephanie West Allen. Drawing on her years as a corporate coach and her background in psychology, Allen recognized that the professionals and families around her were completely red-lining on stress. She decided to launch SCUD Day in her personal email newsletter, the Savor the Comic, Unplug the Drama Club. Her goal was to give people an annual milestone to actively practice emotional boundaries, preserve their mental well-being, and remember how to play.