A recent study reveals that genuine laughter can lead to significant health benefits.
You know the feeling (hopefully!): Something amusing happens a movie scene, a joke, or maybe someone nearby takes a funny tumble and you burst into laughter.
It feels good to laugh. And since the 1970s, medical researchers have discovered that laughter can actually increase pain tolerance and improve overall well-being.
A new systematic review explores the mechanisms involved and whether laughter can interrupt the body's stress response. The article, published last year in the journal PLOS ONE, combined results from eight different studies to answer the question: Does spontaneous laughter reduce cortisol levels?
First, some quick background: Cortisol is the body's stress hormone. It’s produced by the adrenal glands and is responsible for maintaining blood pressure, supporting immune function, aiding metabolism, and helping you stay awake. When you're stressed, your body produces more cortisol; thus, it’s a good measure of stress levels. Too much cortisol can cause weight gain, digestive issues, muscle weakness, depression, and anxiety.
The review identified eight studies where participants were encouraged to laugh by watching a funny video, working with a laughter therapist, or engaging in a self-directed laughter program. Some studies measured participants' cortisol levels before and after a laughter session, while others included control groups, which measured cortisol levels of participants without laughter.
By combining the data, researchers found that cortisol levels dropped by 31.9% for those who engaged in laughter activities, and even a single laughter session led to a 36.7% decrease in cortisol. It didn’t matter how long participants laughed; any laughter led to reductions in cortisol.
“The authors found that spontaneous laughter is truly beneficial, helping lower cortisol levels more effectively than regular activities, supporting the idea that laughter is good for your health. “These studies highlighted the potential therapeutic role of laughter-inducing activities as a complementary approach to improving overall well-being.”
This new review builds on previous research that has shown laughter is good for health. A 2018 review found that laughter enhances well-being in older adults. Laughter has also been found to improve mental health and promote personal growth. There’s also strong evidence that laughter improves heart health.
The takeaway: Laughter truly is a powerful remedy, and there’s data to back it up. So make it a point to find opportunities to laugh and enjoy humor as often as possible.