Realizations Inc

Hardiness

Reports on four ingredients of hardiness as outlined by Norman Cousins: Positive expectations, relaxation techniques, positive emotions (e.g., maintaining a sense of humor and joy), active versus passive role. (Howard, Pierce J., PhD. The Owner’s Manual for the Brain. p 385. GA: Bard Press, 1994, 2000.)

Healing

Galen was a Greek physician practicing in Rome (A.D. 129-199). He used laughter to treat the sick wife of a Roman aristocrat and she recovered. This is the first recorded incidence of using psychiatric treatment to help heal an illness. (Greenwood-Robinson, Maggie, PhD. 20 / 20 Thinking. p 104-105. NY: Avery, Putnam Special Markets, 2003.)

People often cry for us but it may be equally important to healing that they learn to laugh more often with us. (Lipton, Bruce, PhD. The Biology of Belief. p 196-197. CA: Mountain of Love/Elite Books, 2005.)

To be healing, humor and laughter must be positive and build up (avoid sarcasm and cynicism). Why you laugh may be as important as how you laugh. (Padus, Emrika, et al. The Complete Guide to Your Emotions & Your Health. p 544-547. PA: Rodale Press, 1992.)

Tells the story of Norman Cousins (author of Anatomy of an Illness) who postulated that laughter had triggered a release of endorphins, elevated his mood, and brought about total remission of his disease. (Pert, Candace, PhD. Molecules of Emotion. p 167. NY, Scribner, 1997.)

Laughter heals. It can insert healing perspectives in the presence of pain. It can diminish denial and undermines self-pity and self-destructiveness. (Viscott, David. MD. Emotional Resilience. p 47-48. NY: Crown Publishers Inc., 1996.)

Lists sources of studies related to the benefits of humor and laughter. (Dossey, Larry, MD. Healing Beyond the Body. p 328-330. Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc., 2001.)

Health

According to 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.)

There is no linear, invariable relationship between humor and health. (Dossey, Larry, MD. Healing Beyond the Body. p 143. Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc., 2001.

Humor/laughter can help to strengthen the immune system, aid memory, help prevent illness and disease, and anesthetize the body. (Pease, Barbara and Allan. Why Men Don’t Have a clue and Women Always Need More Shoes. p 60-62. NY: Broadway Books, 2004.)

Norman Cousins, former editor in chief of Saturday Review: published an article about his illness and the benefits of laughter and wrote a book. (Restak, Richard, MD. The Mind. p. 158-159. NY: Bantam Books, 1988.)

Healthful humor stimulates wit, mirth, or laughter and creates closeness and intimacy (e.g., pokes fun at oneself and situations). Hurtful humor creates pain and distance and pokes fun at others (e.g., sarcasm, put down, ethnic jokes). (Sultanoff, Steven, M., PhD. What is Humor?)

Humor can provide many benefits when health has failed, including:

• Helps individuals step back from their illnesses and gain perspective
• Triggers smiles, lifts the spirit, and speeds recovery
• Insulates against fear and loneliness and involves others in the conversation
• Is a sign of caring, compassion, connection, and approval
• Helps to validate that although a person may be seriously ill at the moment, he/she is alive

(Gascon, D. Illness is a laughing matter; Humor for your Health. 2003.)

Human Growth Hormone (HGH)

Laughter diminishes the secretion of cortisol and epinephrine, while enhancing immune reactivity. In addition, laughter boosts secretion of growth hormone, an enhancer of these same key immune responses. The physiological effects of a single 1-hour session viewing a humorous video has appeared to last up to 12-24 hours in some individuals. (Expectation of Laughter Boosts Endorphins 27% and Human Growth Hormone 87%.)

Laughter increased two hormones:

• Human growth hormone (HGS), which helps with immunity.
• Beta-endorphins, the family of chemicals that alleviates depression.

Source

Studies: Two hormones, beta-endorphins (the family of chemicals that elevates mood state) and human growth hormone (HGH, which helps with optimizing immunity), increased by 27% and 87 % respectively in study subjects who anticipated watching a humorous video. There was no such increase among the control group who did not anticipate watching the humorous film. The physiological effects of a single 1-hour session viewing a humorous video has appeared to last up to 12-24 hours in some individuals."

Laughter increased two hormones:

1. Human growth hormone (HGS): which helps with immunity.
2. Beta-endorphins: the family of chemicals that alleviates depression.

(Stress Relief By Laughter.)

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

Laughter is great medicine, and it's fantastic for generating HGH. (Hgh (Human Growth Hormone) and Anti-aging Products Scams Exposed.)

Humor

The five rights of humor include the right:

• Patient
• Type
• Time
• Amount
• Route or form

(Schwartz, Enid A., RN, MA, MC. Infusing Humor into Healthcare. p 77. CE Express.)

Three levels of humor:

• Sarcasm / cynicism (destructive)
• Puns (positive qualities)
• Cosmic (positive appreciation of the absurdities and paradoxes of life).

(Padus, Emrika, et al. Editor. The Complete Guide to Your Emotions & Your Health. p 544-547. PA: Rodale Press, 1992.)

Four Types of humor:

• Cognitive humor – sophisticated and/or off-the-wall; not usually offensive
• Conative humor – people’s misfortune (usually of others); slapstick
• Affective humor – racial, cultural, ethnic, and smutty jokes.
• Orectic humor – combines cognitive and affective types and is more likely to be appreciated by males and extroverted females.

(Viegas, Jennifer. Nurture, Not Nature: Study Says Environment, Not Genetics, Defines Sense of Humor.  )

A sense of humor connects you with your heart. By developing that sense you can heal your own heart. When you laugh and say “I get it,” it is an announcement that you have recovered a cellular memory of our common suffering amidst the chaos. (Lipton, Bruce, PhD. The Biology of Belief. p 198-200. CA: Mountain of Love/Elite Books, 2005.

A healthy sense of humor is related to being able to laugh at oneself and one’s life. Laughing at oneself can be a way of accepting and respecting oneself. Lack of a sense of humor is directly related to lower self esteem. (Humor and Laughter: Health Benefits and Online Sources.)

A sense of humor, what people tend to find funny (and it is very individual) is triggered by a mismatch between what they are expecting to happen and what actually happens. (Sobel, David S., and Robert Ornstein, MD. The Healthy Mind, Healthy Body Handbook. p 49-59. NY: Patient Education Media, Inc., 1996.)

Immune System

Mirthful laughter can trigger an increase in activated T cells that had helper/suppressor receptors, an increase in the numbers of natural killer cells. There was also an increase in IgA antibodies, IgG, and IgM. Presented in an interview with Dr. Lee S. Berk. (Dunn, Joseph R., PhD, Ed. New Discoveries in Psychoneuroimmunology Humor & Health Letter. p 2-7. Vol III. No 6, Nov/Dec. MS: 1994.)

Kathleen Dillon of viewing humorous videotapes. Salivary levels of IgA were temporarily boosted after students viewed a humorous film. (Ornstein, Robert, PhD and David Sobel, MD. The Healing Brain. p 154-156. NY: Simon & Schuster, 1987.)

Humor and Laughter stimulate the production of helper T-cells (one type of cells that appears to be attacked by the AIDS virus). (McGhee, Paul E., Ph.D. Emotion: The Key to the Mind's Influence on Health.)

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.)

Outlines benefits including strengthening the immune system, helping with stress and pain management, increasing lung ventilation, lowers blood pressure, and is good preventive medicine. (Neylsen-Cannarella, Sandra L., PhD. The Immunology of Humor. Vol 26, No. 4, p. 28-34.  January. WA: Spectrum, 1998.)

Studies: boosts production of immune enhancers, decreases production of stress hormones (e.g., raises IgA levels, lowers levels of cortisol, increases levels of natural killer cells, may help to combat specific diseases). (Hafen, Brent Q., et al. Mind/Body Health. p 550-560. MA: Simon & Schuster, 1996.)

Dr. Lee Berk and Dr. Stanley Tan of Loma Linda University in California have been studying the effects of laughter on the immune system. Eustress or good stress is created by laughter. An aerobic exercise, laughter can trigger an:

• Increase in T Cell activity 
• Increase in IgB that helps antibodies attack dysfunctional/infected cells.
• Increase in natural killer cells

(Fawcett, Carole., Stress Management Consultant/Laughter Coach. Laughter Facts.)

Study: participants who watched a funny film had temporarily boosted immune system function. “We need to laugh often.” (Ornstein, Robert, PhD, and David Sobel, MD. Healthy Pleasures. p 28. MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing, 1989.)

Mirthful laughter can increase: natural killer cells, T-cells, B-cells (make antibodies) and Gamma-interferon (a disease-fighting protein), It increases the concentration of immunoglobulin A in the saliva, and brings balance to all the components of the immune system. (Bartekian, Vatche. Laughter Can Cure What Ails You. Ask Men web site.)

Cousins, Norman      Extensive research on laughter therapy began after the New England Journal of Medicine published an article by Norman Cousins in 1976. Later, in 1979, this article became the first chapter of his book, Anatomy of an Illness. In it he explained how he was diagnosed in 1964 with ankylosing spondylitis (auto-immune condition) and the benefits to him of laughter. Gallozzi, Chuck. Benefits of Laughter.

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.)

Laughter diminishes the secretion of cortisol and epinephrine, while enhancing immune reactivity. In addition, laughter boosts secretion of growth hormone, an enhancer of these same key immune responses. The physiological effects of a single 1-hour session viewing a humorous video has appeared to last up to 12-24 hours in some individuals. (Expectation of Laughter Boosts Endorphins 27% and Human Growth Hormone 87%.

Laughter increased two hormones:

• Human growth hormone (HGS), which helps with immunity.
• Beta-endorphins, the family of chemicals that alleviates depression.

(Source.)

Laughter can raise levels of salivary gamma globulin IgA, increase the activity of natural killer cells, promote internal jogging, and stimulate selected cardiovascular benefits. (Dossey, Larry, MD. Healing Beyond the Body. p 136-149. Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc., 2001.)

IgA (salivary immunoglobulin type A) is higher in people with a stronger sense of humor, in those who are experiencing positive emotions, and in those who are experiencing love. (Howard, Pierce J., PhD. The Owner’s Manual for the Brain. p 273-274. GA: Bard Press, 1994, 2000.)

Inflammation

Inflammation Studies by Lee S. Berk, PhD, Loma Linda University in California: laughter can reduce the sedimentation rate (a measure of inflammation), increase number of immune cells, increase endorphins, increase IgA salivary concentrations, enhance respiration, and decrease cortisol. (Howard, Pierce, J., PhD. The Owner’s Manual for the Brain. p 170-172. NY: Bard Press, 2000.)

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.)

Study: college males found all jokes much funnier than the women did, and gave them higher ratings. College females: were not amused by the poorer jokes but rated the really funny ones higher than the men did. Montague, Ashley. The Natural Superiority of Women. p 153. NY: Collier Books, a division of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1952, 1974.

Study: Men used humor far more often than women. Males were responsible for 99 of the total 103 instances. Men tend to tell more jokes than women and women tend to laugh more at them. (Eakins, Barbara Westbrook, and R. Gene Eakins. Sex Differences in Human Communication. p 75-80. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.,1978.)

Males: prefer sexual, word-play, and ethnic jokes more than females do.

Females: like absurd and silly jokes better than males do.Hostile jokes are liked equally. (Stump, Jane Barr, PhD. What’s the Difference? p 110-111. NY: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1985.)

Study: college males found all jokes much funnier than the women did, and gave them higher ratings. College females: were not amused by the poorer jokes but rated the really funny ones higher than the men did. Montague, Ashley. The Natural Superiority of Women. p 153. NY: Collier Books, a division of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1952, 1974.

Study: Men used humor far more often than women. Males were responsible for 99 of the total 103 instances. Men tend to tell more jokes than women and women tend to laugh more at them. (Eakins, Barbara Westbrook, and R. Gene Eakins. Sex Differences in Human Communication. p 75-80. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.,1978.)

Men tend to appreciate silly/slapstick humor more than women who tend to have a dry sense of humor. Males are more likely to laugh at jokes at another’s expense; females are more likely to laugh at jokes at their own expense. (Howard, Pierce, J., PhD. The Owner’s Manual for the Brain. p 170-175. Bard Press, 2000.)

Laughter can relieve stress as well as relaxation can. Jokes about life can be healing; jokes that put down groups of people are not. (Bricklin, Mark, et al. Positive Living and Health. p 162. PA: Rodale Press, 1990.)

Most laughter has nothing to do with jokes, concludes researcher and humorous speaker, Prof. Robert Provine. For years he has studied laughter, humorous speaking and humorous speakers and what provokes it. Some of Provine's conclusions: *Less than 20% of laughter was in response to anything resembling a joke. (Dvorak, Doug. How to Use Humor and Laughter as a Coping Mechanism for Stress.)

Leadership

Study of outstanding leaders: they got the interviewer to laugh with them twice as often as average/less effective leaders; used humorous comments three times more frequently (e.g., once every 4 minutes); used humor to reduce stress and positively impact their interactions. (Goleman, Daniel, PhD, with Richard Boyatzis, and Annie Mckee. Primal Leadership. p 34-35. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 2002.)

Learning

Laughter is typically a sign that healthy and valuable learning (emotional as well as intellectual) has just occurred. (Siebert, Al, PhD. The Survivor Personality. p 21-24. NY: A Perigee Book, 1996.)

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.)

John Cleese, English comedian: the Dalai Lama told him that laughter is good for thinking because “when people laugh, it is easier for them to admit new ideas to their minds.” (Baldoni, John. Laughter as Learning. Monthly Web site column, 1998.

Levity in the virtual classroom can significantly boost student interest and participation. Humor is a social lubricant that can facilitate interactions and make the learning process more enjoyable. (Gibson, Andrea. Learning New Study Supports Use of Humor in Online Courses. May, 2005.)

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. (Science of Laughter. Discovery Health.)

Learning

The use of humor by instructors helps to create an enjoyable classroom environment where students are less anxious and more willing to participate in class. (Clouse, R. Wilburn, PhD, Vanderbilt University. Source.)

Humor can be used to break down barriers to communication so that professors can better connect and deliver their messages to students and other audiences. (Berk, Ronald A., PhD. Professors are from Mars, Students are from Snickers. http://facit.cmich.edu/teaching-central/issues/oct06/book-review.html)

Humor can lead to perceptual flexibility. The concepts of creativity and change are closely related to each other, as well as to humor and learning. Research has dhown increased retention of information when humor is used in teaching. (Schwartz, Enid A., RN, MA, MC. Infusing Humor into Healthcare. p 78, 91. CE Express.)

Refer to Learning and the Brain for Additional Information

Meditation

Describes how to do humor meditation for 5-10 minutes each day, and Aikido (how to deflect verbal aggressors with the use of humor) based on a form of Japanese self-defense. (Padus, Emrika, et al. The Complete Guide to Your Emotions & Your Health. p 548-549. PA: Rodale Press, 1992.)

Male-Female Differences

Humor builds comradery among men and can ease relationship tensions. (Tanenbaum, Joe. Male & Female Realities. p 152-154. NV: Robert Erdmann Publishing, 1990.)

Males try harder to be funny than women do. Females may not be trained to be funny. Study involving group therapy sessions: men were five times more likely to be funny as compared to women. (Stump, Jane Barr, PhD. What’s the Difference? p. 82. NY: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1985.)

Brain scans: men laugh more at things that stimulate the right hemisphere; women laugh more at things that stimulate the left hemisphere. (Pease, Barbara and Allan. Why Men Don’t Have a clue and Women Always Need More Shoes. p. 58-60. NY: Broadway Books, 2004.)

fMRI study cartoons: Females activated the left prefrontal cortex more than males, suggesting a greater degree of executive processing and language-based decoding; exhibited greater activation of mesolimbic regions, including the nucleus accumbens, implying greater reward network response and possibly less reward expectation. These results indicate sex-specific differences in neural response to humor. (Azim, Eiman, et al. Sex differences in brain activation elicited by humor. Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5719)

Men and women differ distinctly in their use an appreciation of humor. Self-ridicule (subjective reality) is the basis of most humor used by women and may be one of the most significant differences between how men and women use humor. (Tanenbaum, Joe. Male & Female Realities. p 152-154. NV: Robert Erdmann Publishing, 1990.)

Males and females do not laugh at the same things and becomes upset by different things. (Moir, Anne, and David Jessel. Brain Sex. p. 172. NY: Carol Publishing Group, 1989, 1991.)

fMRI Study: women activated the parts of the brain involved in language processing and working memory more than men when viewing funny cartoons. Women were also more likely to activate with greater intensity the part of the brain that generates rewarding feelings in response to new experiences. (Gender affects the way a person's brain responds to humor. Medical Studies / Trials. Published: Monday, 14-Nov-2005.)

The average speaker laughs 46% more than the audience: woman laugh 12% more than their male audiences; males laugh 7% less than their female audiences. Conclusion: males tend to be humor producers, women to be laughers. (Howard, Pierce, J., PhD. The Owner’s Manual for the Brain. p 174. NY: Bard Press, 2000.)

Study:  both males and females prefer male comedians. (Stump, Jane Barr, PhD. What’s the Difference? p 51. NY: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1985.)

Study: college males found all jokes much funnier than the women did, and gave them higher ratings. College females: were not amused by the poorer jokes but rated the really funny ones higher than the men did. Montague, Ashley. The Natural Superiority of Women. p 153. NY: Collier Books, a division of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1952, 1974.

Study: Men used humor far more often than women. Males were responsible for 99 of the total 103 instances. Men tend to tell more jokes than women and women tend to laugh more at them. (Eakins, Barbara Westbrook, and R. Gene Eakins. Sex Differences in Human Communication. p 75-80. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.,1978.)

Males: prefer sexual, word-play, and ethnic jokes more than females do.

Females: like absurd and silly jokes better than males do.Hostile jokes are liked equally. (Stump, Jane Barr, PhD. What’s the Difference? p 110-111. NY: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1985.)

Study: college males found all jokes much funnier than the women did, and gave them higher ratings. College females: were not amused by the poorer jokes but rated the really funny ones higher than the men did. Montague, Ashley. The Natural Superiority of Women. p 153. NY: Collier Books, a division of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1952, 1974.

Study: Men used humor far more often than women. Males were responsible for 99 of the total 103 instances. Men tend to tell more jokes than women and women tend to laugh more at them. (Eakins, Barbara Westbrook, and R. Gene Eakins. Sex Differences in Human Communication. p 75-80. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.,1978.)

Men tend to appreciate silly/slapstick humor more than women who tend to have a dry sense of humor. Males are more likely to laugh at jokes at another’s expense; females are more likely to laugh at jokes at their own expense. (Howard, Pierce, J., PhD. The Owner’s Manual for the Brain. p 170-175. Bard Press, 2000.)

fMRI Study: women activated the parts of the brain involved in language processing and working memory more than men when viewing funny cartoons. Women were also more likely to activate with greater intensity the part of the brain that generates rewarding feelings in response to new experiences. (Gender affects the way a person's brain responds to humor. Medical Studies / Trials. Published: Monday, 14-Nov-2005.)

The average speaker laughs 46% more than the audience: woman laugh 12% more than their male audiences; males laugh 7% less than their female audiences. Conclusion: males tend to be humor producers, women to be laughers. (Howard, Pierce, J., PhD. The Owner’s Manual for the Brain. p 174. NY: Bard Press, 2000.)

Study:  both males and females prefer male comedians. (Stump, Jane Barr, PhD. What’s the Difference? p 51. NY: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1985.)

Women smile more than men do (e.g., in social situations, when alone). Female social smiling begins in infancy. It tends to increase as women age. (Fisher, Helen, PhD. The First Sex. p 97-98. NY: Random House, 1999.)

Memory

Humor/laughter can help to strengthen the immune system, aid memory, help prevent illness and disease, and anesthetize the body. (Pease, Barbara and Allan. Why Men Don’t Have a clue and Women Always Need More Shoes. p 60-62. NY: Broadway Books, 2004.)

Males try harder to be funny than women do. Females may not be trained to be funny. Study involving group therapy sessions: men were five times more likely to be funny as compared to women. (Stump, Jane Barr, PhD. What’s the Difference? p. 82. NY: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1985.)

Brain scans: men laugh more at things that stimulate the right hemisphere; women laugh more at things that stimulate the left hemisphere. (Pease, Barbara and Allan. Why Men Don’t Have a clue and Women Always Need More Shoes. p. 58-60. NY: Broadway Books, 2004.)

fMRI study cartoons: Females activated the left prefrontal cortex more than males, suggesting a greater degree of executive processing and language-based decoding; exhibited greater activation of mesolimbic regions, including the nucleus accumbens, implying greater reward network response and possibly less reward expectation. These results indicate sex-specific differences in neural response to humor. (Azim, Eiman, et al. Sex differences in brain activation elicited by humor. Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5719.)

Men and women differ distinctly in their use an appreciation of humor. Self-ridicule (subjective reality) is the basis of most humor used by women and may be one of the most significant differences between how men and women use humor. (Tanenbaum, Joe. Male & Female Realities. p 152-154. NV: Robert Erdmann Publishing, 1990.)

Males and females do not laugh at the same things and becomes upset by different things. (Moir, Anne, and David Jessel. Brain Sex. p. 172. NY: Carol Publishing Group, 1989, 1991.)

Woman who can interact easily with the aggressive humor of men in business are a step ahead of woman who negatively interprets these interactions. (Tanenbaum, Joe. Male & Female Realities. p 152-154. NV: Robert Erdmann Publishing, 1990.)

Mental Illness

Humor, used judiciously, can help to promote insight by resolving paradoxes, tempering aggressing, brining repressed material to consciousness, and revealing new options. It is a socially acceptable form of sublimation. Humor that leads to laughter can provide biochemical changes that can be beneficial for psychiatric patients and that can help them feel better physically. Assess patient to determine how he/she learns information best:

• Use spoken jokes or humorous statements with auditories
• Use written or visual humor with visuals
• Act out the joke or humorous information with kinesthetics

Use simple cartoons (humor that requires fewer steps in understanding) when working with patients who have difficulty making decisions. (Schwartz, Enid A., RN, MA, MC. Infusing Humor into Healthcare. p 87-90. CE Express.)

Metaphor

In the case of Norman Cousins, laughter was a metaphor for the full range of positive emotions:  love, confidence, hope, faith, determination. This helps the mind get the most of whatever is possible. (Hafen, Brent Q., et al. Mind/Body Health. p 510-513. MA: Simon & Schuster, 1996.)

Metaphor used for some qualities of humor. (Springer, Sally p., and Georg Deutsch. Left Brain, Right Brain. p 180-181. NY: W.H. Freeman and Co., 1997.)

Muscles

Laughter requires at least 15 facial muscles to contract in a specific pattern, accompanied by altered breathing. (Dossey, Larry, MD. Healing Beyond the Body. p 133-149. Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc., 2001.)

Laughter involves the contraction of fifteen facial muscles plus the stimulation of the zygomatic major muscle, which is the main lifting mechanism of the upper lip. (Brain, Marshall. How Laughter Works.)

Laughter requires the coordination of many muscles throughout the body and:

• increases blood pressure
• increases heart rate
• changes breathing
• reduces levels of specific catecholamines and hormones
• boosts the immune system.

(What’s so Funny and Why: Laughter and the Brain.)

Laughter is an all over body workout. It gives your diaphragm, respiratory, facial, leg, back, and abdominal muscles a workout. Bartekian, Vatche. Laughter Can Cure What Ails You. Ask Men web site.)