Laughter

Last night was an unforgettable night for me. My son took me to see a very famous comedian at a large venue. The performer is undoubtedly one of the top comedians today. He thanked the audience at the start of the show, but not for the usual reason of copious applause. Instead, he thanked us for spending the first normal night for him in over a year. Nobody could imagine packed arenas last year, let alone full of people laughing and cheering for over an hour. The combination of being out in public, spending time with my son, laughing, and enjoying ourselves had a profound effect. I awoke this morning feeling much more energized and alive than in recent months. I believe laughter had much to do with it.

Why Do We Laugh

In 1996 Robert Provine wrote a piece in American Scientist about laughter. Please read it here; you won't be disappointed. He states that it is universal to all humans and therefore an evolutionary adaptation. It develops in babies around 3-1/2 to 4 months of age, even in deaf children. His analysis of laughter led him to conclude that all human laughter is a variation of a basic form that allows us to recognize it. Laughter is 30 times more likely when in the company of others and is therefore deemed a form of communication. Indeed, less than 20% of laughter is due to humor. We do it often during everyday conversations. (1)

Those Who Laugh Last

Interestingly, the speaker laughs almost 50% more than the listener. This observation points to it as an accentuation of communication. Also of note is that males produce more humor and females laugh more. One possible explanation is that laughter may convey information about social hierarchy, such as dominance and submission or acceptance versus rejection, as in the case of laughter at or with someone. (2)

It's Contagious

Laughter seems to sync in humans. For example, there was a six-month epidemic of laughter in Africa in 1962. It started with a few school girls and spread to the entire student body and eventually to other schools. However, as I stated earlier, laughter is less common due to a reaction to humor, and in this instance, the cause was stress at the new school policies adopted by the region. (3)

There are Different Kinds of Laughter

One of the more common is conversational laughter that is a form of etiquette. For example, we laugh to demonstrate our willingness to get along and confirm others' intended messages. Then there is nervous laughter that may convey a message of "don't worry, I understand." Finally, don't forget the stress-relieving kind we all do after several blunders; we laugh it off. (4) Of course, there are inappropriate laughs as well. Laughing at others or a mocking laugh are two examples. There are many more kinds that you can read about here.

The Best Medicine

The form of laughter most of us think of when we hear the word is the spontaneous belly laugh at humor. Belly laughter is probably the most honest type of laughter and the most challenging type to experience, perhaps because genuine hilarity is rare. Norman Cousins wrote a book called Anatomy of an Illness in which he describes how he eventually survived his supposedly incurable condition. He credits ten minutes of belly laughter per day as the reason.

The Science Agrees Laughing is Healthy

Laughter is a positive sensation and seems to be a valuable and healthy way to overcome stress. Doctors use laughter therapy as a treatment for anxiety and depression. Laughter decreases the stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine, indicating a reversal of the stress response. Laughter can also alter dopamine and serotonin activity which boosts mood. Lastly, endorphins secreted by laughter can help diminish pain and depression. (5) 

What You Can Do

Watching comedians, sitcoms, and funny movies is always a safe bet. However, it is not always practical, especially when you are at work or school. Silent laughter and Pidgeon laughter are two valuable tools you can use at will and still benefit. Silent laughing is just what it sounds like. You just don't make noise. Pidgeon laughter is similar, but you keep your mouth closed and produce a muffled sound. You don't need a source of comedy to practice them. Simply force yourself to do them. They produce similar benefits to genuine laughter. Believe it or not, but laughter yoga is a real thing, and you can do it with others online. Follow this link if you are interested.