Laughter and Health

I had been extremely stressed out recently during my stint at my hospital attachment. All the pressure I am exposed to is slowly but gradually weighing on me and making me feel incompetent. Furthermore, I am also simultaneously stressed by several events happening in my life at the same time that threatens to question my sanity. Well...I am not going to complain about my life but rather, I will talk about what made me still survive and hang on in that hostile environment: LAUGHTER. Frankly speaking without it, I will be seriously dead meat by now. The jokes made by the people, especially my clients, whom I am seeing everyday never fails to bring a smile to my face. Do you know that the average human laughs 17 times a day? Why does laughter have such a profound impact on us and why do we like to laugh?

Philosopher John Morreall believes that the first human laughter may have begun as a gesture of shared relief at the passing of danger. And since the relaxation that results from a bout of laughter inhibits the fight-or-flight response, laughter may indicate trust in one's companions. Many researchers believe that the purpose of laughter is related to making and strengthening human connections. "Laughter occurs when people are comfortable with one another, when they feel open and free. And the more laughter there is, the more bonding occurs within the group," says cultural anthropologist Mahadev Apte. This feedback "loop" of bonding-laughter-more bonding, combined with the common desire not to be singled out from the group, may be another reason why laughter is often contagious.

What may surprise you even more is the fact that researchers estimate that laughing 100 times is equal to 10 minutes on the rowing machine or 15 minutes on an exercise bike. Laughing can be a total body workout! Blood pressure is lowered, and there is an increase in blood flow and in oxygenation of the blood, which further assists healing. Laughter also gives your diaphragm and abdominal, respiratory, facial, leg and back muscles a workout. That's why you often feel exhausted after a long bout of laughter cos you've just had an aerobic workout!

The psychological benefits of humor are quite amazing, according to doctors and nurses of the American Association for Therapeutic Humor. People often store negative emotions, such as anger, sadness and fear, rather than expressing them. Laughter provides a way for these emotions to be harmlessly released. Laughter is cathartic. That's why some people who are upset or stressed out go to a funny movie or a comedy club, so they can laugh the negative emotions away because these negative emotions, when held inside, can cause biochemical changes that can affect our bodies.

Laughter is the best medicine.

So, whenever you feel stressed, find something to laugh about and you will feel that all the troubles in the world has just disappeared.