Laughing Your Way to Health:Fake It Until You Make It
Introduction
I am sure the reader is familiar with the concept of psychosomatics. The science of how the mind affects the body, for better or worse. Many people forget that the reverse is also true. What goes on in the body affects the psyche, in other words – the mind. When we are happy, we smile or laugh. When we are sad, we sob, we cry. The interesting thing is that when we pretend to cry or laugh – actors do this all the time – the feelings associated with these bodily changes well up. In these difficult times, it behooves us to learn how to feel optimistic and cheerful by way of conscious laughter.
The Historical Perspective
In India, Laughing Yoga or Yoga Laughter has existed for a very long time. Nobody really knows who invented it nor when it first appeared, and there are no mentions of it in the ancient Yogic literature. Whatever its origins, Laughter Yoga owes its modern success to a family physician, Dr Madan Kataria and his wife, who modernized its practice by greatly simplifying and making it accessible to Westerners.
In the US, William F. Fry, a professor of Psychology at Stanford University, California, was the first scientist to suggest in 1964 that laughter was a suitable field of study. He became the first self-proclaimed Gelotologist (an expert in the science of laughter, from the Greek root gelos, to laugh.) Norman Cousins, longtime editor of the Saturday Review who suffered of a painful form of arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, claimed that 10 minutes of laughter would allow him to enjoy two hours of pain-free sleep, where previously no drug, even morphine, would not do that.
The American Association for Therapeutic Humor (www.aath.org) was founded in 1987, and the formation of the International Society for Humor Studies (http://www.humorstudies.org/) followed in 1988. Both of these organizations unite several hundred professionals interested in integrating humor into a variety of therapeutic modalities. Together they have published hundreds of articles on the health benefits of laughter, and their members have written many books and spoken at numerous conferences.
Marí Cruz Garcia independently developed her own concept of “Conscious Laughter” in the early 1980s, created her own laughter school, started to train Laughter Therapists in 1990 and continues to do so. She lives in Spain and only teaches in Spanish. See http://maricruzgarcia.com.
You may have seen the 1998 Hollywood movie on Dr. Patch Adams starring Robin Williams. Hunter Patch Adams (www.patchadams.org), while still in medical school, committed his life, to bring fun and laughter to young hospitalized patients. Around the same time, professional clowns from the not-for-profit Big Apple Circus started to do hospital visits Their message and techniques spread worldwide over the following years (http://lou.pm/bac).
How to Laugh
The easiest way to laugh is in a group led by a person familiar with laughing techniques. For example, see the work of Steve Wilson, a psychologist from Ohio, who brought the concept of Laughter Clubs to the US in the late 1990s. He is the has trained thousands of Certified Laughter Leaders in North America and beyond into a very thorough program that incorporate laughter exercises, non-competitive games, music, movement, creative arts, positive activity interventions and neuro-sciences (www.worldlaughtertour.com).
Another person whose work you can access on the web is Annette Goodheart, a psychologist from Santa Barbara. She was the first to create a theoretical framework for the use of voluntary simulated laughter. She devised a whole set of techniques on how to use laughter to release strong or repressed emotions. Her book “Laughter Therapy” is a good read (http://lou.pm/lt).
If joining a group either in your city or virtually does not appeal to you, you can learn to laugh on your own. You do not need to have a sense of humor, know jokes, or even be happy. Laugh for the same reason you exercise or diet. Because you know it is good for you.
Why it Works
Current scientific research at Loma Linda University’s School of Allied Health and Medicine has shown that laughter helps the brain regulate the stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine. The researchers also discovered a link between laughter and the production of anti-bodies and endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers. Even the expectation that something funny is coming suffices to bring about positive effects, according to the lead immunologist, Lee Berk.
Scientists at the Maryland School of Medicine found that laughter causes the tissue that forms the inner lining of blood vessels, the endothelium, to expand in order to increase blood flow, while stress has the opposite effect, constricting blood vessels and reducing blood flow. "The idea to study positive emotions, such as laughter came about after studies had shown that mental stress caused blood vessels to constrict", says Dr. Michael Miller, Professor of Medicine and lead investigator.
In one study volunteers watched segments of a funny movie, "There's something about Mary" on one day and on the next watched the opening section of the rather stressful movie "Saving Private Ryan". Each volunteer served as his or her own control.
When study volunteers watched the stressful movie, their blood vessel lining constricted, reducing blood flow. This finding confirms previous studies, which suggested there was a link between mental stress and the narrowing of blood vessels. However, after watching the funny movie, the blood vessel lining expanded.
Overall, more than 300 measurements were taken. “The magnitude of change we saw in the endothelium after laughing was consistent and similar to the benefit we might see with aerobic exercise or statin use”, said Miller.
The endothelium has a powerful effect on blood vessel tone and regulates blood flow, adjusts coagulation and blood thickening, and produces chemicals in response to injury and inflammation. It also plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular disease.
Geneticist Kazu Murakami and Yoshimoto Kogyo Co Ltd, a leading entertainment company, jointly carried out their first experiment to let diabetics laugh at a comedy show performed by the firm's top stand-up comedians after listening to a monotonous college lecture. The two-day experiment, as described in his 2006 paper, showed that their blood glucose levels dropped after they laughed compared with after listening to a yawning lecture. His latest experiment with the entertainment firm spotted at least 23 genes which can be activated. Eighteen of them are designed to work for immune response, signal transduction and cell cycle, while functions of the remaining five others are still unknown.
When we laugh, extra amounts of serotonin are naturally released in the gastrointestinal tract. Cardiac vagal tone is improved. The parasympathetic system - rest and digest – is dialed up, the sympathetic nervous system - fight or flight - is dialed down. As a result, the immune system is powered up and you heal faster and are prone to less sickness.
The pituitary gland and the hypothalamus release endorphins, dopamine and oxytocin, neuropeptides related to feelings of happiness and bonding. The pain threshold is significantly increased. You feel good connected with self and others.
Caveat
I should point out that sufficient randomized controlled clinical trials have not been conducted validating the therapeutic efficacy of laughter. Therefore, it is not surprising that in academic circles this approach is generally held in disdain as non-scientific and off the wall that cannot replace antidepressant medications and if push comes to shove, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). In terms of consumers, the problem is that laughter is free, and we don’t value what’s free.
Summary
Laughter, including simulated laughter, has positive quantifiable physiological and psychological effects. It can be used with preventive intent or as a complementary or alternative therapeutic option in the treatment of emotional as well as physical disorders. Whether used in a clinical setting or in a laughing yoga group or in the privacy of one’s home, laughter’s benefits are many and can contribute greatly to living life optimally.
Key Takeaways
Eat your veggies, exercise, get vaccinated and have a good belly laugh every day.
Because the mind is not limited to the brain but dwells in the whole body, if the body feels good, the mind will feel good.
The question is not to ask which is better, but which is better for you and what you want to achieve.
None the less, some health professionals are beginning to implement laughter therapy in their clinical practice, both individually and in groups.
Related links
Life Saving Benefits Of Laughter Everybody Should Know About
Laughing exercise: If you love to laugh you’ll love this how to guide!
References
Cousins, N. (1976). Anatomy of an illness (as perceived by the patient). New England Journal of Medicine, 295(26), 1458-1463.
Hayashi, T., Urayama, O., Kawai, K., Hayashi, K., Iwanaga, S., Ohta, M., ... & Murakami, K. (2006). Laughter regulates gene expression in patients with type 2 diabetes. Psychotherapy and psychosomatics, 75(1), 62-65.
Miller, M., & Fry, W. F. (2009). The effect of mirthful laughter on the human cardiovascular system. Medical hypotheses, 73(5), 636-639.
Mora-Ripoll, R. (2013). Laughter techniques for therapeutic use in medicine. OA Alternative Medicine, 1(3), 25.
350+ Scientific Research Papers on Laughter
https://www.laughteronlineuniversity.com/350-scientific-research-papers-on-laughter/
