The Connection between Laughter, Humor, and Good Health

Your body cannot heal without play.Your mind cannot heal without laughter.

Your soul cannot heal without joy. -- Catherine Rippenger Fenwick

HSW-CAW.807

Facts and Figures Laughter is the biological reaction of humans to moments or occasions of humor. It is an outward expression of amusement.

•Onaverage,achildlaughs300timesa day while an adult laughs only 17 times a day.

•Themajorityofmenreportthattheirlaughterisachuckle,andthemajorityof women report that theirs is a giggle.

•Adultsbetweentheagesof18and34report laughing the most.

•Mostlaughterdoesnotcomefromlisteningtojokes;itcomesfromspending time with family and friends.

•Peopletendtolaughmorewheningroups.Peopleshouldsurroundthemselveswithotherswholaugh,because laughter is contagious.

•Smilingisamild,silentformoflaughing.

•Babiesstarttolaughataboutfourmonths of age.

Other Interesting Laughter Information•Studiesfromaroundtheworldhave

shown that an atmosphere of humor resultsinbetterpatientcure,lessanesthesiatime,lessoperatingtime,and shorter hospital stays.

•Laughterisnotconfinedtohumans.o Chimpanzees show laughter-like behaviorinresponsetophysicalcontact,suchaswrestling,chasing,ortickling;andratpupsemitshort,high-frequency,ultrasonicvocalizationduringrough-and-tumble play and when tickled.

o Rat pups “laugh” far more than older rats.

•Laughtercanalsomakeyoumoreattractivetoyourfriends,lovedones,and the opposite sex.

•JohnMorreall,editorofbothHumor: International Journal of Humor ResearchandThe International Journal for Humor and Health, theorizes that human laughter mayhelpinhibitthefightorflightresponse,makinglaughterabehavioralsignoftrustinone’scompanions.

•Laughtersoundsthesameacrosscultures,leadingsomeresearcherstobelievethatlaughterhelpedbondourancestorstogether.Infact,thesoundof laughter is so common and familiar that it can be recognized if played backwards on tape.

•Laughingburnscalories.Infact,laughingfor10minuteseachdaycanburn the same number of calories as a half-hour workout.

•Laughtercanbeinfectious.Itcanmake others smile and feel happier. We are more likely to remember and want to be around the people who cheer us up and make us laugh.

The Health Benefits ofHumor and Laughter Manypeoplefindthatmaintaininga sense of humor is useful for a good qualityoflife.Oursenseofhumorgivesustheabilitytofinddelight,experiencejoy,andreleasetension.Additionally,laughteractivatesthechemistryofthewilltoliveandincreasesourcapacitytofightdisease,whichmakesitaneffectiveself-care tool. In1979,NormanCousins,MDwroteAnatomy of Illness, which brought the subjectofhumortherapytotheattentionofthemedicalcommunity.Inhisbook,Dr.Cousinsdetailshowheusedlaughterto help ease his pain while undergoing treatment for an incurable and extremely painfulinflammationofhisbody’stissues.Asaresult,scientificevidenceontheeffectivenessofhumoranditshealthbenefitsisnowoverwhelming.Thefollowing are some of the researched benefitsoflaughter.

•Blood Pressure –Peoplewholaughheartily,onaregularbasis,havealower standing blood pressure than doestheaverageperson.Whenpeoplehaveagoodlaugh,initiallythebloodpressureincreases,butthenitdecreasestolevelsbelownormal.

•Hormones – Laughter reduces at least four of the neuro-endocrine hormones associatedwithstress.Theseareepinephrine,cortisol,dopamine,andgrowth hormone.

•Immune System – Clinical studies byLeeBerkatLomaLindaUniversityhaveshownthatlaughterstrengthensthe immune system by increasing infection-fightingantibodies.

•Muscle Relaxation –Bellylaughsresult in muscle relaxation. While youlaugh,themusclesthatdonotparticipate in the belly laugh relax. Afteryoufinishlaughing,thosemusclesinvolvedinthelaughterstarttorelax.Therefore,theactiontakesplace in two stages.

•Pain Reduction – Laughter allows a person to “forget” about pains such as thoseassociatedwithaches,arthritis,etc.In1987,TexasTechpsychologistRosemary Cogan used the discomfort of a pressure cuff to test the medicalbenefitsoflaughteronpainmanagement.Subjectswhowatcheda20-minuteLilyTomlinroutinecouldtolerate a tighter cuff than those who had watched an informational tape or no tape at all.

•Brain Function – Laughter stimulates both sides of the brain to enhance learning. It eases muscle tension and psychologicalstress,whichkeepsthebrain alert and allows people to retain more information.

•Respiration –Frequentbellylaughterempties your lungs of more air than it takesin,resultinginacleansingeffect–similartodeep-breathing.Thisdeepbreathing sends more oxygen-enriched blood and nutrients throughout the body.

•The Heart –Laughter,alongwithanactivesenseofhumor,mayhelpprotectyouagainstaheartattack,accordingtoastudyattheUniversityofMarylandMedicalCenter.Thestudy,whichisthefirsttoindicatethatlaughtermayhelppreventheartdisease,foundthatpeoplewithheart

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diseasewere40percentlesslikelytolaughinavarietyofsituationscompared to people of the same age without heart disease.

•A Good Workout – Laughter is theequivalentto“internaljogging.”AccordingtoWilliamFry,MD,ProfessorofPsychiatryatStanfordUniversity,oneminuteoflaughterisequaltoten minutes on the rowing machine. Laughtercanprovidegoodcardiac,abdominal,facial,andbackmuscleconditioning,especiallyforthosewho are unable to perform physical exercise.

•Mental and Emotional Health – Humor and laughter are a powerful emotional medicine that can lower stress,dissolveanger,andunitepeopleintroubledtimes.Moodiselevatedbystrivingtofindhumorindifficultand frustrating situations. Laughing atourselves,andthesituationwearein,willhelprevealthatsmallthingsarenottheearth-shakingeventstheysometimes seem to be. Looking at a problemfromadifferentperspectivecan make it seem less formidable forgreaterobjectivityandinsight.Humoralsohelpsusavoidlonelinessby connecting with others who are attracted to genuine cheerfulness.

•Other Benefits - Laughter and humorconnectustootherpeople,fosterrelationships,rejuvenateandregenerateourenergy,andmakeusfeel good!

How You Can ExpandYour Sense of Humor•Lookfortheeverydayhumor.Start

looking for the absurd and silly activitiesthatgoonaroundyoueachday.

•Observeinfantsandyoungchildrentolearnhowtofinddelightandamusement in the most ordinary things.

•Increaseyourexposuretocomedies,comicsitcoms,jokebooks,comedyclubs,etc.

•Hangaroundfunnyfriends.•Takea5to10minutehumorbreakeachday.Readjokes,addtoahumornotebook,andlistentofunnytapes.

•Ifyouhearajokeyoureallylike,writeit down or tell it to someone else to help you remember it.

•Remindyourselftohavefun.•Spendtimewiththosewhohelpyouseethebrightside.Wheneverpossible,avoidnegativepeople.

•Avoidconversations,news,entertainment,etc.,thatfrightens,upsetsordistressesyou,ormakesyoufeel sad and unhappy.

•Bemindfulofjust“lighteningup.”

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Links to Laughter

Jokes to Make You Laugh!http://www.helpguide.org/life/jokes.htm

“Humor Survey: How Well Does Your Sense of Humor Protect You from Heart Disease?” from the University of Marylandhttp://www.umm.edu/news/releases/humor_survey.html

“Playing Together for Fun: Creative Play and Lifelong Games”http://www.helpguide.org/life/creative_play_fun_games.htm

SourcesAggarwal,K.K.“ADoseofLaughterKeepsYourHeartYoung!” http://www.dayafterindia.com/june104/societyhealth.htmlBerk,Lee,etal"NeuroendocrineandStressHormoneChangesDuringMirthfulLaughter"AmericanJournaloftheMedicalSciences,vol.298no.6,1989.Cogan,Rosemary.(1987).“EffectsofLaughterandRelaxationonDiscomfortThresholds.” JournalofBehavioralMedicine.10:139-144.Cousins,Norman.(1979).AnatomyofanIllness.NewYork:Norton.Fried,Itzhak,Wilson,CharlesL.,MacDonald,KatherineA.,&Behnke,EricJ.(12February1998). “ElectricCurrentStimulatesLaughter.”Nature,391,650.NewYork:NewYork.Fry,William.(1979).“MirthandtheHumanCardiovascularSystem.” TheStudyofHumor.LosAngeles,CA:AntiochUniversityPress.Jancin,Bruce.(15March2001).“LaughterBenefitsHeartHealth,ImmuneSystem.” FamilyPracticeNews.Morristown:NewJersey.“LaughterisGoodforYourHeart,AccordingtoaNewUniversityofMarylandMedicalCenterStudy.”(2004). UniversityofMarylandMedicalCenter(UMMC).Accessed:10March2006. http://www.umm.edu/news/releases/laughter.html“Laugh!It’sHealthy.”CaliforniaStateRuralHealthAdvocates. http://www.csrha.org/advocate/1.7/laughter“LaughterResearchConductedatLLUMC.”(11March1999). LomaLindaUniversitySchoolofMedicine. http://www.llu.edu/news/today/mar99/sm.htm“StudyConfirmsBeliefthatLaughteristheBestMedicine.”(August2004). AORNJournal.Denver:Colorado.

Carol Whipple, MSExtension Specialist for Social Work HEEL Program

Susan Calvert, BAHEEL Intern

May2008

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