Good Humor: Laughter Can Carry Some Major Health Benefits

Some people say that laughter is the best medicine. While humor isn’t a cure-all, some experts are saying that laughing can come with some major health benefits. Best Life, a lifestyle magazine teamed up with health experts like psychiatrists and doctors to compile a list of the “science-backed” health benefits of laughter.

"Humor can help improve relationships, help us process grief, and help us bond better with our family and friends," a psychiatrist told the outlet.

Laughter is a major mood booster. They said it’s one of the best natural ways to lift our spirits because it releases endorphins and other chemicals. "Laughter increases the production of dopamine, one of the pleasure chemicals in the brain that make us feel good," said one expert.

While stress is an unavoidable part of life, they said that it can be managed and even somewhat relieved with laughter. One expert mentioned that laughter can not only provide a temporary distraction to our day-to-day life stressors but is also known to increase the release of endorphins and help relax our muscles, especially our breathing muscles such as the diaphragm, face, and chest muscles.

Laughter also helps us reduce our stress levels indirectly by helping us socialize and connect with others.

This may be news to some, but apparently, laughing can help prevent heart attacks. According to one of the doctors, laughing "increases blood flow, which can help protect against heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems."

They added, "It soothes tension, aids in muscle relaxation, and lowers blood pressure. It also improves the intake of oxygen-rich air, which the body needs to function properly."

Research suggests that brain chemicals called endorphins, released during laughter, stimulate the inner lining of blood vessels, known as endothelium. This, in turn, releases nitric oxide, a molecule known to relax arteries.

According to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, by increasing the number of antibody-producing cells, laughter may help to boost the body's immune system. Laughter may help keep weight in check by reducing cortisol, a stress hormone known to lead to weight gain.

Some researchers have reported that laughter can have a downside. They observed that serious laughter may trigger asthma assaults, fainting, the bulge of stomach hernias, migraines, incontinence, jaw separation, and arrhythmia.

It’s likewise an uncommon reason for Boerhaave’s disorder, an unconstrained opening in the esophagus that is all the more ordinarily the aftereffect of vomiting.

“We don’t have the foggiest idea how much chuckling is safe,” author Robin E. Ferner of The University of Birmingham told The New York Times. “There’s presumably a U-molded bend: laughter is great for you, however, enormous amounts are awful, maybe.”

But if you want to see more health benefits, take a look at the complete list here.