Realizations Inc

Adrenalin

Laughter reduces the secretion of both stress hormones (so-called): adrenalin and cortisol. A good sustained belly laugh results in a rise in endorphin production and a decrease in adrenaline and cortisol. Laughter is the best medicine. (O’Brien, Mary, MD. Successful Aging. P 30-31, 152-153. CA:Biomed General. 2007.)

Laughter may help to dissipate hormones (e.g., adrenalin) that have increased due to actual or anticipation of confrontations or threatening situations. (Greenfield, Susan A., Con. Ed. Brain Power. P 159-161. MA: The Ivy Press Limited, 1999.)

Aging

Unfortunately, people tend to laugh less frequently as they grow into adulthood (as compared to childhood). (Dossey, Larry, MD. Healing Beyond the Body. P 134-135. Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc., 2001.)

Study of punch-line completion/comprehension: Aging may subtly affect parts of the brain that are involved in humor comprehension. (Hitti, Miranda. Older Adults Have a Harder Time Getting Jokes, Study Suggests. August 3, 2007.)

A good sense of humor and plenty of laughter is associated with healthy aging. “A good laugh is better than a dose of medicine anytime.” (Segerberg, Osborn. Jr. Living To Be 100. P 200. NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1982.)

In their best-selling book, "The Okinawa Program," based on an ongoing study of elderly people on the Japanese island of Okinawa, Dr. Bradley J. Wilcox, Dr. Craig Wilcox, and Dr. Makoto Suzuki wrote that "during laughter, muscles throughout your body tense and relax in a way that is strikingly similar to stress-reduction techniques. Laughter keeps muscles supple as well as relaxed. It also has been shown to stimulate the immune system." (The Health Benefits of Laughter. The HeyUGLY.org website.)

Amount of Laughter

On average, children laugh 400 times a day, while adults laugh about 15 times. (Palmer, Gary K. Brigham Young University. The Power of Laughter. P 32-35. Ensign, Sept 2007.)

The minimum number of laughs needed per day by adults is 30. Change this to at least 100 and recognize that the sky is the limit. (Beck, Martha, PhD. The Joy Diet. P 160-162. NY: Crown Publishers, 2003.)

By the time a child reaches nursery school, he or she will laugh about 300 times a day. Adults laugh an average of 17 times a day. (Science of Laughter. Discovery Health.)

Children laugh more frequently each day than adults. Some reports indicate that children laugh an average of 300 times per day, while adults get in less than 20. (Sprague-Smith, Marilyn, M.Ed. C’mon, Let’s Laugh. The North Carolina Journal for Women.)

Kids laugh 400 times a day while adults only laugh about 15 times a day. Research by Barb Fisher, University of Minnesota: 20 seconds of a good, hard belly laugh is worth three minutes on the rowing machine. (Brown, Tata Nicole, managing editor. Holistic Times, P 27. 15, No 4 (Clayton College of Natural Health, Alabama.)

Babies start to laugh at about age 10 weeks. At 16 weeks babies laugh about once per hour. Children age 4 tend to laugh about 15 times per hour. The average adult American laughs about 15 times a day. Very happy people laugh several hundred times per day. (Sobel, David S., and Robert Ornstein, MD. The Healthy Mind, Healthy Body Handbook. P 49-59. NY: Patient Education Media, Inc., 1996.)

William Fry, M.D., professor of psychiatry at Stanford University Medical School: the average kindergarten student laughs 300 times a day, the average adult laughs just 17 times a day. (Gallozzi, Chuck. Benefits of Laughter.)

Michael Miller, MD, director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, recommends 15 minutes of laughter on a daily basis. (Laughter Facts.)

Reports estimate between 100-400 laughs per day in people who are in good spirits. (Hafen, Brent Q., et al. Mind/Body Health. P 550-560. MA: Simon & Schuster, 1996.)

Laughter occurs much more often when people are engaged in social interactions with others than when they are alone. (Martin, Rod A. White Papers. Do Children Laugh Much More Often than Adults Do? )

Anger

The use of hostile humor may be used to help individuals express anger (although it sometimes may be used to avoid painful issues or to avoid the therapeutic process.  (Schwartz, Enid A., RN, MA, MC. Infusing Humor into Healthcare. P 81-82. CE Express.)

It is very difficult to remain in a state of anger when you are genuinely laughing. (David S. and Robert Ornstein, MD. The Healthy Mind, Healthy Body Handbook. P 174-175. NY: Patient Education Media, Inc., 1996.)

Sharing amusement creates a bond. It is difficult to sty upset or to remain angry at someone with whom you have shared humor. (Schwartz, Enid A., RN, MA, MC. Infusing Humor into Healthcare. P 78. CE Express.)

Animals

Nonhuman creatures are capable of laughter (e.g., rodents). They can make a noise researchers have identified as giggling. (Beck, Martha, PhD. The Joy Diet. P 153-154. NY: Crown Publishers, 2003.)

Laughter is the most enjoyable form of human communication. Humans are the only animals able to appreciate all the shadings of humor; it integrates the limbic system with the frontal lobes. (Donahue, Phil. The Human Animal. P 331-334. NY: Simon & Schuster, 1985, 1986.)

Anticipation of Laughter

Studies by Dr. Berk of Loma Linda University: Beta-Endorphin and Human Growth Hormone increase are associated with both the anticipation of and the experience of mirthful laughter. Reported April 3, 2006. (Berk, Lee S. PhD. Paper presented in an American Physiological Society session at Experimental Biology, 2006.)

Study: anticipation of mirthful laughter reduced the levels of three detrimental stress hormones. Cortisol (termed the steroid stress hormone), epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) and dopac, (the major catabolite of dopamine), were reduced 39, 70 and 38%, respectively (statistically significant compared to the control group).  (Laughter Remains Good Medicine. 2009.)

Automatic Recognition

There is a difference between automatic recognition (e.g., understanding the punch line of a joke) versus conscious recognition (e.g., the understanding of adding a set of figures and coming up with the right answer). (Carter, Rita, Ed. Mapping the Mind. P 111. CA: University of California Press, 1998.)

Babies and Children

Laughter in infants occurs about a month after smiling. It may be observed as early as 5-9 weeks of age and is firmly in place by 4 months of age. (Rose, Kenneth Jon. The Body in Time. P 150-152. NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1988.)

By about age 12 months a child begins to laugh at unusual or inappropriate adult behavior (e.g., funny faces, walking on all fours). By age two they begin to create their own juxtapositions and laugh at incongruities.(Branson, Roy, PhD. The Sacredness of Laughter. Vol 26, No. 4, January. P 45-46. WA: Spectrum, 1998.)

Children laugh more frequently each day than adults. Some reports indicate that children laugh an average of 300 times per day, while adults get in less than 20. (Sprague-Smith, Marilyn, M.Ed. C’mon, Let’s Laugh. The North Carolina Journal for Women.)

Boys and girls generally understand and appreciate humor equally. Boys, however, tend to enjoy more hostile humor (e.g., silly rhymes, naughty words, teasing). (Tanenbaum, Joe. Male & Female Realities, Understanding the Opposite Sex. P 152-154. NV: Robert Erdmann Publishing, 1990.)

Benefits

Refer to Blood Pressure, Calories, Cardiac, Digestion, Emotions / Feelings, Energy, Health, Immune System, Learning, Memory, Pain, Respiratory, etc.

Biblical / Diety

The positive effects of humor have been known since biblical times. (Schwartz, Enid A., RN, MA, MC. Infusing Humor into Healthcare. P 77. CE Express.)

Discusses theological perspective that “God” has a sense of humor. States that laughter has always been connected with the divine. (Dossey, Larry, MD. Healing Beyond the Body. P 140-149. Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc., 2001.)

Many Christian women are afraid to enjoy themselves in life. They tend to assume a role of pain and picture a “God” that tells them to stop laughing. In reality, the Bible portrays “God” as a being who laughs and rejoices over creation. (Conway, Jim and Sally. Women In Midlife Crisis. P302-304. IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1971.)

Black or Gallows Humor

This type of humor often develops during times of high stress as a defense against horror and whatever is it that is feared. It is a way to master the situation and provide some sense of control by laughing at it. Sometimes referred to a survivor humor, it is an active defense mechanism that helps people cope with fears and threats instead of surrendering to them. It allows care providers to release tension and thus continue to give compassionate care. It may actually add to the quality of performance due to reduced perceived emotional stress—must be used judiciously as it can be hurtful if the wrong person overhears it. (Schwartz, Enid A., RN, MA, MC. Infusing Humor into Healthcare. P 78-84. CE Express.)

Survivors of a disaster experience four emotional phases:

• Heroic – basic concern is survival. Humor is spontaneous

• Honeymoon – occurs 1 week to 3-6 months and involves recovery of optimism. Humor reflects a sense of optimism

• Disillusionment – occurs 2-4 months after the disaster and may include anger, resentment and disappointment. Humor may be negative and sarcastic.

• Reconstruction – is a period of recovery, rebuilding, and acceptance. Humor reflects a sense of community.

Learning to laugh again may be essential for emotional coping. (Ritz, S. E. Survivor humor and disaster nursing. In K. Buxman & A. LeMoine (Eds.), Nursing Perspectives on Humor. NY:Power Pub lications, 1995.)

Blood Flow / Blood Pressure

Describes benefits of laughter (e.g., relaxes muscles, stimulates production of “feel-good” brain chemicals, increases blood flow to the peripheries). Anger and hostility can reverse these positive changes. (Carter, Rita, Ed. Exploring Consciousness. P 199. CA: University of California Press, 1998.)

Humor/laughter can stabilize blood pressure, massage inner organs, strengthen immune system function, improve digestion, and may help you live longer. (Greenwood-Robinson, Maggie, PhD. 20 / 20 Thinking. P 104-105. NY: Avery, Putnam Special Markets, 2003.)

Laughter lowers the blood pressure temporarily. It causes an increase in vascular blood flow and an increase in oxygenation of the blood, which can promote healing. (Bartekian, Vatche. Laughter Can Cure What Ails You. Ask Men web site.)

Study 2003, Reiss and colleagues: the brain's mesolimbic reward center, which is responsible for the rewarding feelings that follow such events as monetary gain or cocaine use, is also activated by humor.

Humor and Laughter: increase level and activity of natural killer cells, reduce pain, lower levels of stress hormones (epinephrine, cortisol, dopac, and growth hormone) in the blood, and temporarily lower blood pressure. (McGhee, Paul E., Ph.D. The Physical Health Benefits.)

Studies by Michael Miller, M.D., director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center: In 2006, 20 healthy volunteers, none suffering from heart disease or high blood pressure, were randomly assigned to watch a 15- to 30-minute segment of either a comedy film to induce laughter, or an action-packed drama to cause mental stress. Nineteen of the 20 people who watched the comedy experienced increased blood flow by a mean of 15 percent, suggesting that laughter relaxes the arteries and may ease strain on the heart. Fourteen of the 20 volunteers who watched the drama found that blood flow in their arteries was reduced by a mean of 47 percent—an amount Miller compared to a fit of anger, which may raise blood pressure, constrict arteries and stress the heart. (Abrahms, Sally. Laughter Yoga to Improve Health? It’s No Joke.)

Humor and Laughter increase level and activity of natural killer cells, reduce pain, lower levels of stress hormones (epinephrine, cortisol, dopac) in the blood, and temporarily lower blood pressure. (McGhee, Paul E., Ph.D. The Physical Health Benefits.) 

Brain

Human beings have the potential to develop a sense of humor and each is born with the capacity to laugh. (Padus, Emrika, et al. The Complete Guide to Your Emotions & Your Health. P 546-547. PA: Rodale Press, 1992.)

Humor processing (getting the joke and laughing) appears to involve parts of the frontal lobes and a component of the pleasure pathway, the anterior cortex of the hypothalamus. (Restak, Richard, MD. The New Brain. P 92-94. PA: Rodale, 2003.)

Subconscious contractions of skeletal muscles involved in laughing in response to a joke are controlled by the basal ganglia, three chunks of gray matter located deep within each cerebral hemisphere. (Tortora, Gerard J. and Sandra Reynolds Grabowski. Principles of Anatomy and Physiology.  P 469-471. NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2003.)

Study 2003, Reiss and colleagues: the brain's mesolimbic reward center, which is responsible for the rewarding feelings that follow such events as monetary gain or cocaine use, is also activated by humor.

MRI study of brains of 16 healthy adults: used to detect areas of the brain that were activated when the subject found a cartoon funny. In addition to activating areas of the brain involved in language processing, humor also stimulated regions of the brain known as reward centers, such as the amygdala, which releases dopamine. (WebMD Medical News. Humor Activates Reward Center of the Brain.)

Brain and Humor

Humor triggers various areas of the brain to function in concert. Both humor and mirthful laughter result in physiological changes to the brain’s neurochemistry and to the body’s physiology. Presented in an interview with Dr. Lee. S. Berk. (Dunn, Joseph R., PhD, Ed. New Discoveries in Psychoneuroimmunology Humor & Health Letter. Vol III. No 6, P 7-8. Nov/Dec. MS: 1994.)

When using or experiencing positive humor and mirthful laughter, the whole brain is involved, not just one side, and that there's more coordination between both sides. (O’Donnell, Sinara Stull. Laugh More at Work To Ease Office Stress.)

fMRI Studies of brain activities activates in two types of humor. High-level visual areas were activated during visual humor and classic language areas were activated during language-dependent humor. (Watson, Karli K., et al. Brain Activation during Sight Gags and Language-Dependent Humor.)

People who are paranoid generally are humorless. (Miller, Lawrence, PhD. Inner Natures. Brain, Self & Personality. P 151-152. NY: Ballantine Books, 1990.)

Brain and Jokes

Study using EEG topographical brain mapping of an individual hearing a joke: left hemisphere began to process the words. Then the frontal lobe center of emotionality was activated. 120 milliseconds later the right hemisphere began processing the pattern. A few milliseconds later the occipital lobe showed increased activity. Delta waves increased, the brain got the joke, and laughter erupted. (Dunn, Joseph R., PhD, Ed. New Discoveries in Psychoneuroimmunology. P 6-7. (interview with Dr. Lee S. Berk). Humor & Health Letter, Vol III. No 6, Nov/Dec 1994, MS: Dunn.)

Normal brain development in children fluctuates by three years. (Jensen, Eric. Brain-Based Learning. P 340. CA: The Brain Store Publishing, 2000.)

Each brain develops so uniquely that completely normal development can differ by a spread of two or more years between learners of the same chronological age. (Healy, Jane. Your Child’s Growing Mind, P 70. 1987.)

When you hear a joke, it is the recognition of the incongruity that allows you to “get it.” (Schwartz, Enid A., RN, MA, MC. Infusing Humor into Healthcare. P 92. CE Express.)

Brain and Laughter

Laughter stimulates both sides of the brain to enhance learning. It eases muscle tension and psychological stress, which keeps the brain alert and allows people to retain more information. (Humor and Laughter: Health Benefits and Online Sources.)

The immediate involuntary action of laughter forms the most direct communication link possible between people, limbic brain to limbic brain. People who relish each other’s company laugh easily and often; those who distrust/dislike each other laugh little, if at all. (Goleman, Daniel, PhD, with Richard Boyatzis, and Annie Mckee. Primal Leadership. P 12. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 2002.)

It takes a whole brain to appreciate a joke fully. The left hemisphere alone might not be able to make the connection between Siamese twins and the punch line in this joke: A young man returns from a blind date with Siamese twins. His friend inquires, “Did you have a good time?” The young man replied, “Well, yes and no.” (Wonder, Jacquelyn, and Priscilla Donovan. Whole Brain Thinking.  105. NY: Ballantine Books, 1984.)

Laughter initially raises blood pressure and pulse a bit and then they come down significantly-for as long as an hour. (O’Brien, Mary, MD. Successful Aging. P 30-31. CA: Biomed General. 2007.)

The brain triggers several things simultaneously during laughter:  Visual – creation of specific facial gestures; Phonic – production of certain sounds; Body – changes in parts of the body including the arm, leg and trunk muscles. (Bartekian, Vatche. Laughter Can Cure What Ails You. Ask Men web site.)

Damage to the right frontal lobe of the cerebrum can decrease one’s ability to appreciate humor. This can, in turn, reduce one’s tendency to smile or laugh in response to a joke. (Richard, MD. The New Brain. P 93-94. PA: Rodale, 2003.)

Various portions of the brain work together to experience humor and laughter. Left hemisphere sets up the joke. Right hemisphere is involved in getting the joke. (Dossey, Larry, MD. Healing Beyond the Body. P 133-149. Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc., 2001.)

The left cerebral hemisphere creates the feeling of amusement and laughs when prompted. The right hemisphere “gets” the joke. (Carter, Rita, Ed. Mapping the Mind. P 36-38. CA: University of California Press, 1998.)

Humor and laughter is processed via a complex pathway of brain activity. Three main components: sections of the frontal lobe near the forehead to “get” the humor; the supplementary motor area for smiling / laughing muscle movements; nucleus accumbens to elicit happiness felt after a funny experience. (Humor, Laughter, and the Brain. Brain Briefings, December 2001.)

Study using EEG topographical brain mapping of an individual hearing a joke: left hemisphere began to process the words. Then the frontal lobe center of emotionality was activated. 120 milliseconds later the right hemisphere began processing the pattern. A few milliseconds later the occipital lobe showed increased activity. Delta waves increased, the brain got the joke, and laughter erupted. (Dunn, Joseph R., PhD, Ed. New Discoveries in Psychoneuroimmunology. P 6-7. (interview with Dr. Lee S. Berk). Humor & Health Letter, Vol III. No 6, Nov/Dec 1994, MS: Dunn.)

EEG Studies of brain activity when subject laughed: Within four-tenths of a second of exposure to something potentially funny, an electrical wave moved through the cerebral cortex. If the wave took a negative charge, laughter resulted. (Brain, Marshall. How Laughter Works.)

Study: Laughter resulted when a small 2 cm by 2 cm area on the subject’s left superior frontal gyrus (part of the left frontal lobe) was stimulated. (What’s so Funny and Why: Laughter and the Brain.)

Describes step by step what happens in the brain to trigger laughter. (Hafen, Brent Q., et al. Mind/Body Health. P 550-560. MA: Simon & Schuster, 1996.)

Brain Hemispheres

Laughter stimulates both sides of the brain to enhance learning. It eases muscle tension and psychological stress, which keeps the brain alert and allows people to retain more information. (Humor and Laughter: Health Benefits and Online Sources.)

Study using EEG topographical brain mapping of an individual hearing a joke: left hemisphere began to process the words. Then the frontal lobe center of emotionality was activated. 120 milliseconds later the right hemisphere began processing the pattern. A few milliseconds later the occipital lobe showed increased activity. Delta waves increased, the brain got the joke, and laughter erupted. (Dunn, Joseph R., PhD, Ed. New Discoveries in Psychoneuroimmunology. P 6-7. (interview with Dr. Lee S. Berk). Humor & Health Letter, Vol III. No 6, Nov/Dec 1994, MS: Dunn.)

Under acute stress, the two hemispheres of the brain become disconnected. Laughter improves creativity and problem-solving, and activates the limbic system in the brain, connecting the right and left sides. It helps you do more whole brain work. (O’Donnell, Sinara Stull. Laugh More at Work To Ease Office Stress.)

Studies:

• The left hemisphere analyzed the words and structure of the joke
• The right hemisphere carried out the intellectual analysis required to "get" the joke

(Brian, Marshall. How Laughter Works.)

Burnout

The effective use of humor can help to prevent burnout, especially in healthcare providers and among caregivers. (Schwartz, Enid A., RN, MA, MC. Infusing Humor into Healthcare. P 78. CE Express.)

Carbon Dioxide

Scientifically established benefits: enhances respiration, combats carbon dioxide levels in the blood, good exercise for muscles/internal organs, decreases inflammation (lowers sedimentation rate), and offers an excellent coping mechanism. (Padus, Emrika, et al. The Complete Guide to Your Emotions & Your Health. P 542-548. Press, 1992.)

Calories

A vigorous laugh burns calories (e.g., as many calories per hour as brisk walking or cycling). (Ornstein, Robert, PhD, and David Sobel, MD. Healthy Pleasures. P 217. MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing, 1989.)

Studies at Vanderbilt University: Laughter can speed up your metabolism. Laughing for 10-15 minutes a day can burn up to 50 calories (as many as are in a medium chocolate bar), which amounts to 4.4 pounds a year. The scientists measured participants' energy as they laughed at 10-minute comedy clips versus their resting energy rates. (Leeming, Chris. Laugh Your Way to Leaness.)

Laughter (e.g., the total workout) can use as many calories per hour as are expended in brisk walking. (Sobel, David S., and Robert Ornstein, MD. The Healthy Mind, Healthy Body Handbook.  P 49-59. NY: Patient Education Media, Inc., 1996.)

Cardiac / Heart

Twenty seconds of laughter can double heart rates for 3-5 minutes. This provides an inner workout for body organs. (Hafen, Brent Q., et al. Mind/Body Health. P 541-560. MA: Simon & Schuster, 1996.)

Research William Fry Jr., PhD: 20 seconds of hard laughter gives the heart the same beneficial workout as three minutes of hard rowing. (Lipton, Bruce, PhD. The Biology of Belief. P 197. CA: Mountain of Love/Elite Books, 2005.)

Laughter has been shown to increase endorphin levels, stimulate immune function, reduce cortisol, stimulate circulation, massage internal organs, and have positive effects on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. (Lubbe, Francois. UK Editor for The Healthier Life. Laughter has Potential Medical Benefits.)

Studies by Michael Miller, MD, director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center: 19 out of 20 Volunteers who watched the jolly film King Pin had an average increase in blood flow of 22%. 14 of 20 volunteers who watched the dramatic Saving Private Ryan showed an astonishing 35% decrease in blood flow. (Fawcett, Carole. Stress Management Consultant/Laughter Coach. Laughter Facts. )

Laughter: reduces serum cortical (a hormone released during the stress response), increases immunoglobulin A (antibody that helps fight upper respiratory disease), increases tolerance to pain, and increases heart rate, pulse rate, and juggles the internal organs. (Sultanoff, Steven, M., PhD. What is Humor?)

Research by Barb Fisher, University of Minnesota: 20 seconds of a good, hard belly laugh is worth three minutes on the rowing machine. Other benefits include: stress reduction, enhanced immune system, strengthened cardiovascular functions, increased oxygenation, improved muscle tone, and helps with digestion and constipation. (Brown, Tata Nicole, managing editor. Holistic Times, Vol 15, No 4, P 27.  (Clayton College of Natural Health).

Studies by Dr. William Fry, Jr., Dr. Lee S. Berk, Dr. David C. McClelland, Dr. Kathleen M. Dillon, etc.: 20 seconds of laughter can double the heart rate for 3-5 minutes (equal to 3 minutes of strenuous rowing); enhances immune system function; increases levels of salivary IgA. (Cousins, Norman, MD (honorary). Head First. 130-140.NY: Penguin Books, 1989.)

Studies: distressing emotions (e.g., depression, anger, anxiety, and stress) are all related to heart disease. Humor directly changes distressing emotions so it may reduce the risk of heart disease. (Sultanoff, Steven, M., PhD. What is Humor? American Association for Therapeutic Humor Newsletter, November, 1998)

Study at the University of Maryland Medical Center: people with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh in a variety of situations compared to people of the same age without heart disease. (Science of Laughter. Discovery Health.)

Choice

Increase the level of humor in your life, both humor you initiate (e.g., attend comedic plays and movies, read humorous books, be around funny people), and humor you react to (e.g., let yourself belly-laugh). (Howard, Pierce, J., PhD. The Owner’s Manual for the Brain. P 274. Bard Press, 2000.)

The idea of laughter clubs is the brainchild of Dr. Kataria, editor of Your Own Doctor and Mera Doctor. He began the first one on March 13, 1995 and says the ideal time to start a laughing session is between 6a.m. and 7 a.m. (Wilson, Steve, MA CSP. Mumbai: Home of Laughter Clubs and World Laughter Day.)

Communication

Laughter is the most enjoyable form of human communication. Humans are the only animals able to appreciate all the shadings of humor; it integrates the limbic system with the frontal lobes. (Donahue, Phil. The Human Animal. P 331-334. NY: Simon & Schuster, 1985, 1986.)

Contagious

Smiles are the most contagious of all emotional signals. Also describes how laughter is contagious, as well, and how it demonstrates the open loop limbic system. (Goleman, Daniel, PhD, with Richard Boyatzis, and Annie Mckee. Primal Leadership. P 6-8. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 2002)

Laughter is contagious. The human brain contains detectors that respond to laughter by triggering other neural circuits in the brain that generate more laughter. (Bartekian, Vatche. Laughter Can Cure What Ails You. Ask Men web site.)

Cortisol

A good sustained belly laugh results in a rise in endorphin production and a decrease in adrenaline and cortisol. (O’Brien, Mary, MD. Successful Aging. P 152-153. CA:Biomed General. 2007.)

Psychoneuroimmunology studies the interactions between the brain and the immune system (e.g., 60 minutes of watching a “Gallagher” comedic video caused reductions in the levels of: cortisol and catecholamines. (What’s so Funny and Why: Laughter and the Brain.)

Laughter has been shown to increase endorphin levels, stimulate immune function, reduce cortisol, stimulate circulation, massage internal organs, and have positive effects on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. (Lubbe, Francois. UK Editor for The Healthier Life. Laughter has Potential Medical Benefits.)

Study of watching a 60-minute humorous video: Mirthful laughter experience appears to reduce serum levels of cortisol, dopac, epinephrine, and growth hormone. These biochemical changes have implications for the reversal of the neuroendocrine and classical stress hormone response. (Berk, L. S., PhD., et al. Neuroendocrine and stress hormone changes during mirthful laughter. Am J Med Science. Dec; 298(6):390-6, 1989.)

Study: Just the anticipation of mirthful laughter reduced the levels of three detrimental stress hormones. Cortisol (termed the steroid stress hormone), epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) and dopac, (the major catabolite of dopamine), were reduced 39, 70 and 38%, respectively (statistically significant compared to the control group).  (Laughter Remains Good Medicine. 2009.)

Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones such as:

• Cortisol : the primary hormone, increases sugars (glucose) in the blood stream

• Ephinephrine (Adrenaline) : increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure and boosts energy supplies

• Dopamin : is involved in the “fight or flight response”  and associated with elevated blood pressure

(Ayasrah, Najla'a. Stress Relief By Laughter.)

Study of watching a 60-minute humorous video: Mirthful laughter experience appears to reduce serum levels of cortisol, dopac, and epinephrine. These biochemical changes have implications for the reversal of the neuroendocrine and classical stress hormone response. (Berk, L. S., PhD., et al. Neuroendocrine and stress hormone changes during mirthful laughter. Am J Med Science. Dec; 298(6):390-6, 1989.)

Creativity

Humor can be very important to creativity. (Greenwood-Robinson, Maggie, PhD. 20 / 20 Thinking. P 368. NY: Avery, Putnam Special Markets, 2003.)

Humor releases tension, can increase creativity, and can lead to perceptual flexibility. The concepts of creativity and change are closely related to each other, as well as to humor and learning. Humor seems to increase the a ility to think creatively. (Schwartz, Enid A., RN, MA, MC. Infusing Humor into Healthcare. P 78, 91. CE Express.)

Refer to Creativity and the Brain for additional information.

Death and Dying

Individuals who are dying appreciate the use of humor. (Schwartz, Enid A., RN, MA, MC. Infusing Humor into Healthcare. P 78. CE Express.); Hearth, K. A. Humor’s role in terminal illness. In K. Buxman & A. Lemoine (Eds.), Nursing Perspectives on Humor. Staten Island, NY:Power Publications, 1995.)

A study in hospice settings showed that humor was more often initiated by the patient than by the nurse. Humor helped patients explore new coping skills, ways of looking at their situation, and gaining some element of control. (Schwartz, Enid A., RN, MA, MC. Infusing Humor into Healthcare. P 78-79. CE Express.)

Individuals who are dying still want to be part of life for a long as they can. Humor is natur’e way of providing a perspective on a situation and allowing individuals to rise above it. (Klein, A. The Healing Power of Humor. CA”J.P. Tarcher, 1989. The Courage to Laugh: Humor, Hope, and Healing in the Face of Dying. NY:J.P. Tarcher/P:utnam, 1998. How Can You Laugh at a Time Like This? Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, 2001)

Unfortunately, the American cultural view that death is a negative experience to be fears, makes the use of humor during death and dying uncommon. Humor can help individuals who are dying feel “like a real person again.”  (Schwartz, Enid A., RN, MA, MC. Infusing Humor into Healthcare. P 78-79. CE Express.)

Decision-Making

One’s ability to negotiate and to make decisions is enhanced if he/she has a good sense of humor. (Hafen, Brent Q., et al. Mind/Body Health. P 546-547. MA: Simon & Schuster, 1996.)

Definition – Humor

Humor depends largely on the unexpected, on novelty. This tends to increase levels of the chemical dopamine in the brain. (Fisher, Helen, PhD. Why We Love. P 205. NY: Henry Holt and Company, 2004.

Humor is a diffuse function that engages both hemispheres of the brain. (Carter, Rita, Ed. Mapping the Mind. P 36-38.  CA: University of California Press, 1998.)

Humor is the experience of incongruity. Composed of three elements: wit (cognitive experience), mirth (emotional experience), and laughter (physiological experience). You do not need to laugh to experience humor. Less research on humor as compared to laughter. (Sultanoff, Steven, M., PhD. What is Humor?)

The 3WD model of humor, validated by several countries including the United States, involves a stimulus (e.g., joke) and a response (e.g., amused or not amused). Outlines six dimensions of humor appreciation. (Howard, Pierce J., PhD. The Owner’s Manual for the Brain. P 168-170. GA: Bard Press, 1994, 2000.

Definition – Laughter

Laughter is an explosive sound. To laugh is to make sounds that show mirth, joy, or scorn. (Webster’s New Encyclopedic Dictionary. P 566. NY:Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers Inc., 1993.)

Laughter is a form of celebration: of the unusual, irregular, indecorous, illogical, nonsensical, and unconventional. (Ornstein, Robert, PhD, and David Sobel, MD. P 217-219. Healthy Pleasures. MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing, 1989.)

Laughter is remarkably variable and may be better thought of as a broad class of sounds with relatively distinct subtypes, each of which may function somewhat differently in a social interaction. (Bachorowsk, Jo-Anne I, PhD, and Michael J. Owren, PhD. Laughing Matters. Psychological Science Agenda, Volume 18: No. 9, September 2004.)

People tend to laugh when there is incongruity between what actually happens and what they expected to happen--unless the outcome causes fear. (Greenfield, Susan A., Con. Ed. Brain Power. P 159-160. MA: The Ivy Press Limited, 1999.)

Depression

Humor and laughter can reduce stress, depression, and reduce one’s risk for hypertension, heart attacks, and stroke. (Hafen, Brent Q., et al. Mind/Body Health. P 550-560. MA: Simon & Schuster, 1996.)

Discrimination        

States that a well-developed sense of humor is a characteristic of most genuinely altruistic and socially conscious individuals. It involves multidimensional understanding and perception. Quotes Mark Twain:  Show me a man who knows what’s funny, and I’ll show you a man who knows what’s not. (Miller, Lawrence, PhD. Inner Natures. P 151-152. NY: Ballantine Books, 1990.)

Diabetes

Lee Berk, DrPH, MPH, a preventive care specialist and psychoneuroimmunologist, of Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, has paired with Stanley Tan, MD, PhD an endocrinologist and diabetes specialist at Oak Crest Health Research Institute, Loma Linda, CA, to examine the effect of “mirthful laughter” on individuals with diabetes. Diabetes is a metabolic syndrome characterized by the risk of heart attack, blindness and other neurological, immune and blood vessel complications. They found that mirthful laughter, as a preventive adjunct therapy in diabetes care, raised good cholesterol and lowered inflammation. (Laughter Remains Good Medicine, 2009. )

Digestion

Benefits include stress reducer, improving performance, enhancing self-esteem, promoting creativity, strengthening the immune system, improving ability to negotiate and make decisions, increases breathing rate, clears mucus from lungs, increases oxygen delivered to cells, stimulates enzymes that function as natural laxatives, and improves digestion. (Hafen, Brent Q., et al. Mind/Body Health. P 541-560. MA: Simon & Schuster, 1996.)

Humor/laughter can stabilize blood pressure, massage inner organs, strengthen immune system function, improve digestion, and may help you live longer. (Greenwood-Robinson, Maggie, PhD. 20 / 20 Thinking. P 104-105. NY: Avery, Putnam Special Markets, 2003.)

Duration

The physical benefits derived through laughter can last for up to 2 hours after you stop laughing. (Hafen, Brent Q., et al. Mind/Body Health. P 550-560. MA: Simon & Schuster, 1996.)

Emotions / Feelings

Laughter and a humor can ease psychological pain and relieve emotional stress. (Hafen, Brent Q., et al. Mind/Body Health. P 550-560. MA: Simon & Schuster, 1996.)

Tears (from laughing or crying) contain encephalin, a natural internal tranquilizer that helps to relieve pain.    60-62 Pease, Barbara and Allan. Why Men Don’t Have a clue and Women Always Need More Shoes. NY: Broadway Books, 2004.

Learning to laugh again may be essential for emotional coping following a disaster situation. (Schwartz, Enid A., RN, MA, MC. Infusing Humor into Healthcare. P 84-85. CE Express. )

Physical benefits of laughter can remain for up to two hours once you have stopped laughing. (Hafen, Brent Q., et al. Mind/Body Health. P 541-560. MA: Simon & Schuster, 1996.)

Quotes Dr. Herbert Benson: Humor and laughter are effective medicines in combating negativity and they can have a beneficial effect on one’s physical health. (184-185Shaevitz, Marjorie Hansen. The Confident Woman. P 184-185. NY: Harmony Books, 1999.)

Describes benefits of laughter (e.g., relaxes muscles, stimulates production of “feel-good” brain chemicals, increases blood flow to the peripheries). Anger and hostility can reverse these positive changes. (Carter, Rita, Ed. Exploring Consciousness. P 199. CA: University of California Press, 1998.)

Provides examples of the immediate positive effects on the body and on states of mind. (Gilbert, Gary, MD. Is a Merry Heart like a Placebo? WA: Spectrum, Vol 26, No. 4, P 36-43. January 1998.)

Laughter is a tranquilizer that has no negative side effects. (Greenwood-Robinson, Maggie, PhD. 20 / 20 Thinking. P 125. NY: Avery, Putnam Special Markets, 2003.)

People who are surrounded by many happy people are more likely to be happy in the future than those who are surrounded by unhappy people. One person’s happiness can spread outward through three degrees of separation. Those at the center of such circles may be people that you have never met, but their mood can have a profound effect on yours. (Fowler, James, PhD., associate professor of political science, UCSD and Rosemary Blieszner, PhD., professor of human development, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2008, online British Medical Journal.

Laughter helps release emotion and tension. People often store emotions rather than express them if something angers, frightens, saddens, stresses, or bores them. Laughter is a way for emotions (e.g., anger, sadness, fright, boredom) to find a way out harmlessly. (Bartekian, Vatche. Laughter Can Cure What Ails You. Ask Men web site.

Panic is a common characteristic of serious illness. Suggests that laughter can be used to replace panic. (Restak, Richard, MD. The Mind. P 158-159. NY: Bantam Books, 1988.)

Energy

100 laughs equal the energy expended in 10 minutes of rowing. Laughter can increase healing and relieve pain. (Edell, Dean, MD. Eat, Drink & Be Merry. P 128-129. NY: HarperCollins, 1999.)

Research: Laughter is one of the best ways to discharge constricted emotional energy. (Lipton, Bruce, PhD. The Biology of Belief. P 196-197. CA:Mountain of Love/Elite Books, 2005.)

Refer to Energy and the Brain for additional information

Endorphins

Describes benefits of laughter (e.g., relaxes muscles, stimulates production of “feel-good” brain chemicals, increases blood flow to the peripheries). Anger and hostility can reverse these positive changes. (Carter, Rita, Ed. Exploring Consciousness. P 199. CA: University of California Press, 1998.)

A good sustained belly laugh results in a rise in endorphin production and a decrease in adrenaline and cortisol. (O’Brien, Mary, MD. Successful Aging. P 152-153. CA:Biomed General. 2007.)

Studies: laughter releases endorphins and boosts serotonin levels, triggering a feeling of well-being that encourages emotional and physical healing. Fifteen seconds of hearty laughter equals about three minutes on the rowing machine. (University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Laughter Really is Good Medicine.)

Laughter has been shown to increase endorphin levels, stimulate immune function, reduce cortisol, stimulate circulation, massage internal organs, and have positive effects on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. (Lubbe, Francois. UK Editor for The Healthier Life. Laughter has Potential Medical Benefits.

Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, as well as increasing natural killer cells that can fight diseases from colds to cancer. (Beck, Martha, PhD. The Joy Diet. P 154-156. NY: Crown Publishers, 2003.)

Laughter stimulates the pituitary gland that triggers the release of endorphins, some of which can remain in the body for 12 hours, producing an ongoing natural high. (Greenwood-Robinson, Maggie, PhD. 20 / 20 Thinking. P 104. NY: Avery, Putnam Special Markets, 2003.)

Both crying and laughing trigger the release of endorphins (e.g., natural internal chemicals similar to heroin and morphine) into the bloodstream. (Pease, Barbara and Allan. Why Men Don’t Have a clue and Women Always Need More Shoes. P 60-62. NY: Broadway Books, 2004.)

Laughter reduces pain by releasing endorphins that are more potent than equivalent amounts of morphine. (Gallozzi, Chuck. Benefits of Laughter.

Exercise

Research by Barb Fisher, University of Minnesota: 20 seconds of a good, hard belly laugh is worth three minutes on the rowing machine. Other benefits include: stress reduction, enhanced immune system, strengthened cardiovascular functions, increased oxygenation, improved muscle tone, and helps with digestion and constipation. (Brown, Tata Nicole, managing editor. (Holistic Times, Vol 15, No 4, P 27. Clayton College of Natural Health). Alabama.)

Extraversion         

Humor model: people who are high in extraversion usually prefer nonsense and sexual humor; those who are low in extraversion (e.g., more toward introversion) tend to prefer incongruity resolution humor. (Howard, Pierce J., PhD. The Owner’s Manual for the Brain. P 169. GA: Bard Press, 1994, 2000.)

Facial Muscles         

Fifteen facial muscles contract during laughter, and there is electrical stimulation of the major muscle of the mouth in particular. (Bartekian, Vatche. Laughter Can Cure What Ails You.)

While a person can feign a smile, it is more difficult to do so with laughter since laughter involves involuntary systems. (Goleman, Daniel, PhD, with Richard Boyatzis, and Annie Mckee. Primal Leadership. P 12. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 2002.)

Feigning – Fake it ‘til you make it

When you fake a chuckle your body reacts as if you had expressed a sincere laugh. (Greenwood-Robinson, Maggie, PhD. 20 / 20 Thinking. P. 108. NY: Avery, Putnam Special Markets, 2003.)

Pretend to be full of fun and laughter even if you don’t feel like that at the moment. Go through the motions at first and you’ll get there. You can learn to develop your funny bone. (Padus, Emrika, et al. Editor. The Complete Guide to Your Emotions & Your Health. P 544-547. PA: Rodale Press, 1992.)

Gelotology

Gelotology is the physiological study of laughter. Study: Laughter resulted when a small 2 cm by 2 cm area on the subject’s left superior frontal gyrus (part of the left frontal lobe) was stimulated. (What’s so Funny and Why: Laughter and the Brain.)

Gender Differences

Refer to Male-Female Differences for additional information