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The Healing Power of Laughter

The other day in a yoga class, I had a chance to reflect on something most of us believe, but often forget.

As the yoga teacher watched and walked around, I expected him to tell me about the stress that I can't seem to get rid of in my shoulders. I welcome the gentle reminder. However, he mentioned instead that I needed to smile more during the class.

I begin to think about how smiling or laughing makes you feel better instantly.

Recent scientific studies support the idea that laughter benefits the body's hormones.

Researchers at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California and Oakcrest Health Research Institute in Yucaipa, California discovered this in a study of 32 healthy men, after half of them watched an hour-long humorous video. The other half of the group sat in another room reading magazines.

Researchers drew blood from the participants before and after these sessions.

The results are not surprising. The 16 men who watched the humorous video had an average of 27 percent more beta-endorphins and 87 percent more human growth hormone in their blood than the 16 men who sat reading magazines. The level of these beneficial hormones remained elevated during and after the experiment.

This study builds on other research work that concluded that exposure to humor has other healthy effects such as lowering levels of the stress hormones, cortisol and epinephrine.

Lead researcher from Loma Linda University, Lee Berk, says the benefits of laughter are similar to those of exercise. She said that people should take the results of this scientific study seriously because blood pressure is lowered overall and the resting heart rate decreases. Additionally, the immune system gets a wonderful tune-up.

While thinking and planning for retirement, we also need to take a humor break!

Born in Miami Beach, Florida, but raised in New York City, writer Sandra Pianin contributes regularly to webpundits.net. She has written a bi-weekly Hollywood focused column for matchflick.com. Her work has appeared on several other online websites including syndicatednews.net. Recently, she was a reviewer for the New York City 2005 High Definitiion Film Festival.

Sandra enjoys films, theater, and spending time with her 13 year-old domestic short-haired cat, Henry.