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- Laughter really is the best medicine - and researchers have the evidence to prove it.
- From helping to relieve pain to blocking negative thoughts, there are many reasons to have a good sense of humour.
- And, if you aren't a humorous person, there's good news: humour can be developed.
A good, hearty laugh is fun, but did you know that its health benefits are far-reaching – and backed by science?
While a touch of humour can't cure all ailments, plenty of data points to the positive things it can do for us.
From helping to relieve pain to burning calories and blocking negative thoughts, here's why humour is key to a happy and healthy life.
Laughing with other people
Laughing with other people releases endorphins in your brain known as 'opioid receptors', which create a feeling of euphoria.
According to clinical neurologist Dr Matt Bellace, the "natural high" you get from laughing is far "superior" to a drug-induced one.
READ MORE | Laughing is good for your mind and your body – here's what the research shows
In his book, A Better High, Bellace explains that when something is perceived as funny, the reward centre of the brain is activated - the same area that is activated during cocaine-induced highs. "I'm not going to argue that laughing is a more intense high than cocaine, but the brain knows how to balance a natural high. You will never hear, 'That movie was so funny last night, I'm hungover.' Laughter is a superior high on many levels," he writes.
Burns calories
It's no joke: scientists at Vanderbilt University found that laughing for 10 to 15 minutes can burn between 10 and 40 calories. "We calculated that this is equal to 2 kilograms a year if you do it every day," said lead researcher Dr Maciej Buchowski.
Laughter also reduces cortisol levels, a stress hormone that causes fat to be stored around your belly.
Blocks negative thoughts
A good dose of laughter a day can cause the brain's cerebral cortex to release electrical impulses, which block the passage of negative thoughts.
READ MORE | 3 videos that will have you laughing even if you’re having the worst day
Shilagh Mirgain, a psychologist at the University of Wisconsin, says: "When we're laughing, we just feel calmer and more balanced, and it can really help us promote that positive, optimistic outlook."
Improves heart health
Laughter also goes beyond the belly and the brain, writes Patrick Skerrett, former executive editor at Harvard Health. Genuine giggles and guffaws can improve your heart's vascular function and circulation and lower your risk of a heart attack. Moreover, the brain chemicals and endorphins released by laughing can lower your blood pressure, which reduces anxiety and takes tension off your heart.
READ MORE | Meet the man who can't stop laughing once he starts
In 2005, US researchers found that, like exercise, laughter makes blood vessels work more efficiently. "We don't recommend that you laugh and not exercise, but we do recommend that you try to laugh on a regular basis. Thirty minutes of exercise three times a week and 15 minutes of laughter on a daily basis is probably good for the vascular system," said co-author of the study, Dr Michael Miller of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore.
Eases pain
Genuine laughter releases endorphins, which increase your ability to tolerate pain. In a Swiss study, participants laughing at comedy films were able to keep their hands in ice water longer than those who weren't laughing. Their increased pain tolerance also remained present 20 minutes later.
READ MORE | Laughter may work like meditation in the brain
So, laugh as hard and as often as possible. Swap out that thriller series for a comedy sitcom. Watch funny YouTube videos. Go see your favourite comedian. Surround yourself with funny people. And if you're worried you may have an underdeveloped sense of humour, there's good news: according to the Mayo Clinic, humour can be learned, so developing or refining your sense of humour may be easier than you think.
