Research proves that laughter works on three levels, the biophysical, the biochemical, and the bioenergetic levels. At the biophysical level, laughter moves lymph fluid around one’s body simply by the convulsions one experiences during the process of laughing; so it boosts immune system function and helps clear out old, dead waste products from organs and tissues.
Another gain at the biophysical level is oxygenation. Laughing causes temporary hyperventilation episodes and involves intake of gulps of oxygen at short intervals. This increased supply of oxygen benefits at the cellular level by providing intracellular energy that is key to sustaining life. Science has also established that many parasites and cancer cells alike cannot survive in an oxygen rich environment. So indirectly, laughter can go a long way in preventing many forms of cancers or infections caused by microbes. While laughing, one also exercises abdominal and facial muscles; enhances the flexibility of various joints throughout one’s body and boosts circulation. One pioneer in laughter research, William Fry, claimed it took 10 minutes on a rowing machine for his heart rate to reach the level it would after just one minute of hearty laughter.
At the biochemical level, one minute of laughter generates an array of healthy chemicals in the body, may they be brain-altering chemicals such as serotonin or immune-boosting chemicals such as interleukins. These chemicals have extraordinary positive healing effects on one’s body and mind. They boost immune system function, diminish any symptoms of depression; and because they help reduce stress, they will also prevent all of the various diseases and disorders that are caused by chronic stress.
Heart disease stays miles away from jovial and good- humoured people. The benefits of laughing lie in its effect on the inner lining (endothelium) of the walls of arteries. The endothelium plays a vital role in maintaining blood flow by regulating the diameter of the blood vessels and its damage is one of the factors involved in cardiovascular disease. Laughing seems to make the endothelium expand thereby helping to maintain good blood flow.
Laughter also seemed to have a healing effect on blood sugar levels. In one study, the effect of laughter on blood sugar levels was assessed in a group of 19 people with diabetes. After eating, the group attended a tedious lecture on one day and watched a comedy on the second day. After the comedy, the group had lower blood sugar levels than they did after the lecture.
The most convincing health benefit from laughter is its ability to dull pain. Numerous studies of people in pain or discomfort have found that when they laugh they report that their pain doesn’t bother them as much. Laughing also reduces allergic responses, including hay fever symptoms.
In a recent business magazine article, a top executive was quoted, “Laughter in the work place is a waste of time. This is a place to do business, not indulge in the luxury of humour.” But with the evidence presented above, one would hardly agree with the philosophy that laughter is a waste of time. One doesn’t need a prescription to laugh. Regardless of whether laughter actually improves your health or boosts your energy, it undeniably improves your quality of life.
Article by Snigdha Taduri for Biomed-ME