Free Medicine…Laughter!!!
- Madelyne Harris
- Jul 8
- 3 min read
We’ve all heard that laughter is the best medicine, but why is that? I’ve never been one to have an arsenal of jokes ready for an on-demand performance, but my impromptu comments and anecdotes have provided some comic relief over the years, especially when I’ve had a few cocktails. Most of us think we’re pretty entertaining at that point, right?
Laughing is one of my favorite things in the world and there’s scientific evidence that supports the hypothesis it has healing effects. Spontaneous laughter, aka 'genuine laughter,' has been widely studied and the scientific results show the stress hormone, cortisol decreases by at least 140 percent, and levels stay down for over 30 minutes following an hour-long comedy which was significantly higher than the control group (Louie et al., 2016). The majority of the humor occurs spontaneously in everyday life, even when it's self-induced.
When we laugh, the naturally released neurochemical endorphins have been found to elevate our mood and cause relief from stress. That right there is worth its weight in gold. The opposite end of the spectrum reveals that watching entertainment that causes emotional arousal elevates the sympathetic-adrenomedullary activity, regardless of whether or not the arousal is positive or negative, increasing the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine (Louie et al., 2016). Some people insist they love scary, horror, and suspense shows, which is fine, but there are physiological repercussions that don't stop just because the show ends. The release of cortisol continues long after the show is over (Kramer & Leitao, 2023).
Humor is infectious. One of my boys has the best laugh on this planet. When he gets going, tears fill his eyes and those around him can’t help but break into laughter just because he is. Faster than catching a cold, the flu, or any sort of virus, catch the giggles and see how quickly it can turn a bad day, into a great one for you and those in your company.
When we laugh, there are physical benefits to our vital organs by increasing blood and oxygen flow in the bloodstream that circulates and feeds the entire body. While anxiety and depression are frequently comorbid conditions in psychiatry, a worldwide mixed-method study that included just over 3,000 participants, stated that the inclusion of humor therapy contributed to significant psychological progress and the reduction of depressive symptoms (Sun et al., 2023). Additional physiological benefits of a good laugh are: lowers blood pressure, stabilizes blood sugars in type 2 diabetes, boosts the immune system, prevents heart disease, lowers stress hormones, and decreases pain. Not a bad prescription right!
Plus, a good deep-belly laugh is free.
Humor has served as a great tool for alleviating social awkwardness over the years and breaking the ice in emotionally uncomfortable situations. (Caution: I’m not talking about using humor as a way to deflect from getting at the heart of an issue). Laughter has a way of bringing people together and creating bonds. I would venture to say, that most people are attracted to individuals who make us smile and laugh. It's delightful to be in the company of those who are light-hearted. (This is not the same as being light-minded). Emotionally speaking, humor is a great way to relieve stress, anger, and fear. As Sally Fields famously said in the 1989 film Steel Magnolias, 'laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.'
Please be mindful of never creating laughter at the expense of another’s well-being. In a world of apathy, choose to laugh with someone and not at them. That is most definitely not funny and I doubt you'll be laughing when and if karma comes calling. So, be mindful that your humor is healthy and fun for all. Laughter is free medicine and with all the options on the internet laughter is just a click away. Watch a funny movie, see a comedy show, google a meme, or laugh at someone’s joke!!!
Although I've never been one to have jokes on hand, I leave you with this in hopes of making you laugh:
1.) Why couldn't the bad sailor learn the alphabet?
Because he always got lost at 'C.'
2.) Why did the frog take the bus to work?
His car got toad!
3.) How do you make a tissue dance?
Put a little boogie in it!
References
Kramer, C. K., & Leitao, C. B. (2023). Laughter as medicine: A systematic review and meta-analysis of interventional studies evaluating the impact of spontaneous laughter on cortisol levels. PloS one, 18(5), e0286260. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286260
Louie, D., Brook, K., & Frates, E. (2016). The Laughter Prescription: A Tool for Lifestyle
Medicine. American journal of lifestyle medicine, 10(4), 262–267.
Sun, X., Zhang, J., Wang, Y., Zhang, X., Li, S., Qu, Z., & Zhang, H. (2023). The impact of
humor therapy on people suffering from depression or anxiety: An integrative literature
review. Brain and behavior, 13(9), e3108. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.3108
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