Is Laughing Good for You? 6 Health Benefits of Laughter

Medically reviewed by Elle Markman, PsyD, MPHMedically reviewed by Elle Markman, PsyD, MPH

Laughter is said to be the "best medicine," but is laughing truly good for you? It offers physical and mental health benefits, as physical and mental health affect each other. An emerging body of research shows that laughter can improve your overall health, well-being, and life satisfaction.

1. Improves Overall Well-Being

Laughter is beneficial for general wellness. It can boost many areas of life. For example, research shows that laughter yoga can improve physical and mental health, sleep, and social function, all of which are measures of living well.

Laughing can also shift your emotions and thoughts. It can affect your interactions with other people, choices, and behaviors, changing the course of your day.

Laughter can improve your mental health, personal development, pain, stress, and immune system, all contributing to your overall wellness.

2. Boosts Mental Health

People who find humor throughout daily life are more likely to experience joy. Laughter can be a form of self-care. Some people engage in laughter therapy to reduce stress and depression. It doesn't even have to be a formal intervention. Simply talking and laughing with a friend or family member can lighten the mood, brighten your day, and lead to feelings of connectedness and companionship.

If you find it difficult to laugh or find joy in your day-to-day life, it may be a warning sign of a serious mental health condition, such as depression. If you or someone you know feels this way, contact a trusted healthcare provider for support.

3. Aids in Personal Development

Laughter can contribute to your personal development. Research has shown that laughter and emotions such as joy can improve self-esteem, motivation, and learning. When you feel confident and motivated, your mind is more open to learning skills and developing habits that will lead to personal growth.

4. Reduces Pain

Laughter can decrease pain perception. One study found that laughter therapy reduced pain scores of people living with terminal cancer by nearly half.

While you feel pain throughout your body, your brain is responsible for processing pain. Laughter releases chemicals in the brain that counteract pain signals. Since pain can significantly impact your quality of life, laughter and the reduction of physical pain can increase life satisfaction and overall well-being.

5. Relieves Stress

The body produces cortisol, the stress hormone. Research shows that laughter therapy improves cortisol and perceived stress levels, meaning that laughter can reduce physical and mental stress. Improving both measures is important because stress perception is related to quality of life, while the physical stress response is linked to physical health.

While the body and mind can manage short-term stress, chronic stress can lead to a variety of physical and mental health concerns. Reducing stress levels through laughter can decrease the risks of these adverse effects.

6. Benefits the Immune System

Your emotions and immune system are intertwined. Feelings like anger, anxiety, and stress can disrupt immune function, and an activated nervous system can increase excessive inflammation (a key part of the immune response) throughout the body.

Conversely, laughter, joy, and happiness can reduce stress, promote relaxation, and create an environment for proper immune system function. Laughter can help moderate the immune system, providing a boost or calming effect based on what is needed, bringing the mind and body back to homeostasis (balance among body systems).

Are There Any Downsides to Laughter?

There is a low risk of harm associated with laughter. Many people laugh daily through social interactions and other life experiences. The downsides of laughter are typically not a concern unless you have an underlying condition that worsens when you laugh, such as asthma.

Rarely, it can lead to complications such as asthma attacks, headaches, and abdominal hernia (a bulge in the abdominal wall that can allow contents inside the abdomen to protrude through it).

The greater physical, mental, and social risks exist among people who don't laugh enough.

How to Laugh More

You can try watching stand-up comedy or listening to funny podcasts to laugh more, but research shows that laughter is a social experience. One study found that people are 30 times more likely to laugh in social settings than alone. Some would say it's contagious. If you want to infuse more laughter into your daily life, try the following:

• Prioritize face-to-face social interactions: Laughter is a social emotion that occurs in personal interactions and conversations more so than as the product of humor; therefore, prioritize face-to-face interactions through in-person gatherings or video chats.

• Speak up: Researchers have observed that often, the person laughing the most in conversation is the one who has just spoken.

• Observe the world around you: Laughter often occurs when you least expect it as a reaction to something unexpected.

Summary

The belief that laughter is medicine is backed by scientific evidence that supports its benefits. Whether laughter is part of a therapeutic intervention or happens naturally throughout daily life, it can improve many areas of your health and well-being.

If you feel you could benefit from more laughter, try to incorporate more of it into your day. You can get silly with a friend, consume funny content, go to a comedy show, or find a laughter therapy option that works for you, such as laughter yoga.

Read the original article on Verywell Health.