Is laughter the best medicine for the soul? What does science have to say about that? 🤷

Should I call this an adage or a proverb? You probably have heard it a couple of times in your lifetime. But is it really true, or just a random statement said by people to reduce tension and stress? And what does the dude who only accepts facts, figures, and proof have to say about this? - Science.

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Laughter is the best Medicine for the soul?

Now, I'm not here to start a religious argument about what the soul is. So, in the context of this blog, we will consider the soul to be the brain. In fact, my first psychology lecture made me understand that psychology, which means the study of the mind, used to mean the study of the soul and was later changed. The mind refers to our ability as humans to think, feel, and engage in activities, while the brain is the organ in our head supporting this function.

So, by inference, we are asking the question, Is Laughter The Best Medicine for the Brain? ### Agreed?

What then is the relationship between a giggle and your mental health, which, by extension, affects your entire body and quality of life?

Now, before we proceed, I want to clarify that laughter being said to be a medicine may not be literal but metaphorical. It has the ability to cause a positive effect on our mental and emotional well-being (which gives it a scientific basis) but it's not a substitute for medical treatment when dealing with physical ailments.

Imagine you take a problem to your doctor, and he tells you to go watch some comedy?

So why do we Feel Good when we Laugh?

Lots of scientific research and findings have proven that there is a release of a chemical or hormones in our brain called endorphins (feel-good chemical and painkillers). This is the same chemical in the brain released during pleasurable moments or activities like eating, sex, etc., to make us feel good. It mainly reduces pain and stress, which then improves our sense of well-being.

I guess I can't seem to write a blog without including "cortisol." Those who follow my blogs, get a load of another cortisol dose: It's proven that laughter can lower cortisol levels. Since cortisol is associated with stress, as it goes down, you begin to feel relief. In other words, laughter is a stress reliever. Also, since chronic stress is associated with cardiovascular issues, laughter also addresses that.

Other scientific studies and findings have shown that the inner lining of blood vessels dilates while watching something humorous. This then improves blood flow. The findings suggested that the benefits of laughter were quite similar to the benefits gotten from aerobic exercises.

Cool, right? Get the same benefits without the hula hoops. Not all the benefits, though, so please still have time for actual exercises.

Now let's go a little deeper into the brain during laughter:

Neurological investigations have shown that laughter seems to trigger the release of dopamine (the reward and pleasure hormone) in the brain, which then reinforces positive emotions and uplifts our moods temporarily, while creating a neurochemical environment conducive to our well-being. This explains why people get hooked on watching TikToks and short funny videos all day. They somehow form an addiction to it because of the release of dopamine as they continue to scroll down the endless videos on their FYP.

In addition, specific brain regions linked to emotions, decision-making (as we discussed yesterday), and social bonding light up with activities during a good laugh. Specifically, the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system provide a neurological basis for the emotional and social aspects of laughter.

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So is a Comedy Show a Hospital?

Yes, in my personal opinion, we can to some extent consider a comedy show as a hospital.

Why?

The therapeutic effect laughter gives to the human brain and body while laughing at those jokes.

Also, there are therapeutic institutions that specialize in the application of laughter as a form of therapy. They harness the therapeutic potential of laughter for overall health and happiness.

But hey! as we continue to explore the potential of laughter as a soul-soothing remedy, it's very important for us to acknowledge that we will encounter some hurdles down the road. One huge challenge comes from the way we study laughter. You see, it's not always easy to measure or agree on what makes us laugh.

It's subjective in the sense that what makes one laugh would not make the other, based on several factors like cultural backgrounds, nurture, intellectual factors, and so on, and therefore there is not a one-size-fits-all remedy when it comes to using laughter for mental well-being. So, therefore, we must consider this as we carve the path for future research and consider how laughter fits into mental health care.

Side effects of too much laughter

Now it's really beginning to sound like a drug.

Is there a side effect of laughter? Can you die from laughing like a drug abuse would kill you?

Answer: Kind of, only when it's done too much.

While laughter is generally known for its positive impact on our mood and health, there are instances where intense laughter can lead to serious outcomes, such as ruptured brain aneurysms, asthma attacks, gelastic seizures, asphyxiation, and syncope.

Also, while death from laughing is very unlikely, there are documented cases where extreme laughter triggered severe medical conditions.

But this is no reason to be alarmed, just ensure to have fun but not too much fun.

I'm very bad at making jokes, but I don't think I can end this blog without making you laugh, so I'll leave a link to my favorite comedian Chris Rock to do that job.

Thanks so much for reading! I'd be happy to hear your thoughts on this subject or on how to improve these blogs. I really enjoy writing them and I want to make sure you enjoy reading them. Until tomorrow, stay safe and have the best of the day.

References and Links:

Cleveland Clinic - Endorphins

Nuvance Health - Your Brain on Laughter

HelpGuide - Laughter is the Best Medicine

Mayo Clinic - Stress Relief

Healthline - Can You Die from Laughing