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BENEFITS OF LAUGHTER

Brain Sketch

Mental

Laughter increases the release of serotonin and endorphins while also regulating the release of stress hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine.

Hands

Physical

Laughter is a gentle exercise accessible to people at all ability levels.  Laughter has been proven to increase your body’s immunity and decrease stress-related inflammation.  Additionally, research shows laughter can increase pain tolerance.

Hearts

Emotional

Laughter helps to manage stress by improving stress reactivity, coping skills and distress tolerance, which results in more mindful and joyful living. Laughter also promotes learning, discovering, and creativity.

Yoga meditation hands woman in yoga lotu

Energetic

Laughter balances the body’s energetic seats of self-identity and authentic voice.  Through rapid breath and vocalization of laughter sounds, the following chakras are activated: Solar Plexus/Manipura (seat of self-identity) and Throat/Vishuddhi (seat of communication).

RESOURCES

Berk LS et al. Neuroendocrine and stress hormone changes during mirthful laughter. Am J Med Sci. 1989 Dec;298(6):390-6.

De Francisco, Seyla et al. “Effectiveness of Integrative Laughter Therapy to Reduce Anxiety, Improve Self-Esteem and Increase Happiness: A Naturalistic Study at a Day Hospital for Addictive Disorders.” International journal of environmental research and public health vol. 16,21 4194. 30 Oct. 2019, doi:10.3390/ijerph16214194

DiSalvo, David. Six Science-Based Reasons Why Laughter Is the Best Medicine: Laughter is vital brain and heart medicine for more reasons than we realize. Psychology Today. Jul 22, 2017.

Farifteh, Shadi et al. “The Impact of Laughter Yoga on the Stress of Cancer Patients before Chemotherapy.” Iranian journal of cancer prevention vol. 7,4 (2014): 179-83.

Franklin, R.G., Adams, R.B. The reward of a good joke: neural correlates of viewing dynamic displays of stand-up comedy. Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci 11, 508–515 (2011).

Kuiper, Nicolas A., Rod A. Martin & L. Joan Olinger. Coping humour, stress, and cognitive appraisals. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science 25 (1993); 81–96.

Provine, R.R. Laughter as an approach to vocal evolution: The bipedal theory. Psychon Bull Rev 24, 238–244 (2017).

Savage, Brandon M. et al. Humor, laughter, learning, and health! A brief review.  Advances in Physiology Education  41:3, 341-347 (2017).

Tse, Mimi M Y et al. “Humor therapy: relieving chronic pain and enhancing happiness for older adults.” Journal of aging research vol. 2010 343574. 28 Jun. 2010,

Yim, JongEun. "Therapeutic Benefits of Laughter in Mental Health: A Theoretical Review." Tohoku J Exp Med. 2016 Jul;239(3):243-9. doi: 10.1620/tjem.239.243. 

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