Laughter Is Healthy – Well-Being Through Fun

Laughing, giggling, chuckling - The positive effects on body and mind

“Laughter is the best medicine”

Everyone surely knows this phrase. Even if you can't take it completely literally – as nice as that would be – scientists certainly agree that laughter brings many positive benefits with it. Even if the scientific evidence still has room for growth, many medical professionals and scientists are convinced of the positive effects of laughter on the human body and mind. If you observe a child, you will quickly notice that young children are usually constantly laughing, giggling, chuckling, grinning, or smiling. We adults have often unlearned this; we laugh significantly less in adult life. Yet the benefits are obvious. Laughter is good for our physical well-being, as well as for our mental health.

Laugh again: 10 reasons why we should all laugh more

We have put together 10 reasons why a good, hearty laugh is good for your mind and body:

1. Feel-good hormones are released
   As soon as you start to giggle or laugh heartily, your body releases messenger substances. The two hormones serotonin and endorphin are true 'messengers of happiness' for your well-being. You feel happier, freer, more elated, maybe even euphoric.

2. Laughter gives you more energy
   Through laughter, we deepen our breathing, so more oxygen is absorbed and the oxygen supply to the organs – including the brain – is increased. This feels like a little kick of energy.

3. Laughter relieves tension
   Scientists, especially psychologists, know about the positive effect of laughter on our psyche. Because laughter gets us out of our current situation, potentially re-evaluates it, and breaks patterns. It enables us to shift our perspective. Humor training is therefore quite effective, especially for anxiety disorders or depression.

4. Laughter can be used therapeutically
   A study has shown: When a hospital clown makes rounds in pediatric oncology wards and makes the little patients laugh with a joke, a 30 percent increase in oxytocin could be detected in their blood. The hormone oxytocin reduces anxiety and promotes trust.

5. Laughter reduces pain perception
   No joke: When we laugh, it lowers our body's perception of pain.

6. Laughter works like a full-body workout
   Anyone who has ever had a fit of laughter lasting several minutes where you just can't stop knows: the next day your abdominal muscles are sore from all the laughing. Laughing engages a multitude of muscles. 17 muscles in the face alone, over 100 in the entire body. So it's almost like a full-body workout.

7. Laughter has a positive effect on certain medical conditions
   There are heart attack patients who laugh under supervision. This is because: when laughing, oxygen intake is briefly increased, the bronchial tubes are better supplied, and the heart beats faster. After a fit of laughter, the body enters a relaxation phase again. By laughing, heart attack patients reduce their blood pressure and thereby lower their risk of another heart attack. A study in the US has also shown that humor has a beneficial effect on blood sugar, which can be particularly interesting for diabetics.

8. Laughter brings people together
   The social effect of laughter is undisputed: anyone who laughs or even smiles warmly is trusted. A smile connects people across cultures and enables positive connections.

9. More positivity and motivation through laughter
   This little kick of energy that laughter gives you instantly makes you look at things much more positively. You go through the rest of the day feeling more motivated and a bit happier. So bring more humor back into your life right away: watch a funny movie, listen to your favorite comedian on CD, laugh at a joke together with friends.

10. Laughter reduces stress
    Laughter lowers your stress levels. Just as the production of 'happy hormones' serotonin and endorphins is boosted, the production of the two stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline is reduced. At the same time, your immune system is stimulated.

'Laughter is a bodily exercise of great value to health.' (Aristotle)

So you see, gelotology, the field that studies the effects of laughter on the human body and mind, is highly fascinating. Not all physical effects have been fully researched and supported by scientific studies yet, but medical professionals have recognized laughter as a mechanism that can even support therapy with its positive effects. Laughter yoga is one such application. In the beginning, it was often dismissed as esoteric nonsense. But the body doesn't care whether it is prompted to laugh artificially at first or not. The effect is always the same, as the brain cannot distinguish whether the laughter is fake or real. Very often, laughter that is initially brought on deliberately gradually turns into real, genuine laughter. And when you laugh in a group with several people, it is simply contagious. Or have you ever tried to stay serious while everyone around you is laughing heartily?

So feel free to plan your next movie night with a comedy where you can enjoy a good hearty laugh again. Or listen to a hilarious podcast. You can also simply try smiling at yourself in the mirror or at the people around you for no reason at all. You will see: that alone lifts your mood a bit, you feel a little more relaxed, and you radiate more positivity.