Laughter: What is it good for?

[jayman]

Is there any published research on the health benefits of laughter? Has science studied/researched laughter and it's effects on the brain and the body?

I think laughter is a lot of fun and makes me feel great. I have done things like "laughter yoga".

This video shows what laughter yoga (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXEfjVnYkqM) is.

[EHocking]

It's good for a laugh...

[BNRT]

Absolutely nothin'.

[Dats]

Absolutely nothin'.

Say it again

[Cainkane1]

Is there any published research on the health benefits of laughter? Has science studied/researched laughter and it's effects on the brain and the body?

I think laughter is a lot of fun and makes me feel great. I have done things like "laughter yoga".

This video shows what laughter yoga (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXEfjVnYkqM) is.
Laughter is probably an evolved phenomena that causes us to do things productively so that later on we can laugh about it.

[BNRT]

In all seriousness, I think laughter is a way to reduce tension after a stressful situation (of any kind).

Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laughter) tells us a study has been done showing positive effects on blood vessels.

[bluesjnr]

Is there any published research on the health benefits of laughter? Has science studied/researched laughter and it's effects on the brain and the body?

Yes here (http://www.allenklein.com/research/laughter.html)

Next question.

[Old man]

In all seriousness, I think laughter is a way to reduce tension after a stressful situation (of any kind).

Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laughter) tells us a study has been done showing positive effects on blood vessels.Yes. Some of the best laughs my friends and I have had have been right after we realized that we hadn't been maimed or killed.

[whatthebutlersaw]

Without knowing the sciency bits and bobs about laughing:

In my experience, laughing together helps bonding. I tend to feel better about people I have shared a good laugh with and always look forward to seeing them again.

The ability to make people laugh is worth much in the human experience and it really does work: I have definitely changed my mind about how attractive I find someone after it turns out they are funny.

[ZirconBlue]

It is well known, and long established that laughter is the best medicine.

[The Atheist]

Yes here (http://www.allenklein.com/research/laughter.html)

Next question.

Possibly not the most authoritive-looking place when the title goes:

Laughter Sutdies

Text, colour and size all faithful to the original.

Another entertaining link on the subject:

http://www.sexandphilosophy.co.uk/humour.htm#hum05

[Beausoleil]

We laugh at people in charge rather than getting rid of them. Helps preserve an orderly society. It's the evolutionary explanation of the Daily Show, the News Quiz, and the rest.

[aggle-rithm]

I heard a theory that it may have originated as a way to communicate to the group that something which appeared to be dangerous is in fact nothing to worry about. Sort of an "all-clear" message.

On the other hand, it may have been something stuck onto a gene that we needed for something entirely different, and just came along for the ride.

[aggle-rithm]

I've recently heard another theory that cooking created a very productive feedback loop in human evolution. We needed cooking to consume a diet sufficiently rich in protein to power our growing brains. However, our ancestors were way too aggressive to sit around a fire for an hour or so while our food cooked. Thus, the more docile humans had an evolutionary advantage and were able to complete great feasts without murdering each other.

Just TRY that with chimps!

Oh, and it's likely that both language and laughter were side effects. We had to do SOMETHING while sitting around the campfire.

[The Atheist]

Oh, and it's likely that both language and laughter were side effects. We had to do SOMETHING while sitting around the campfire.

Should've stuck to sex. Far less complicated.

[ZirconBlue]

I've recently heard another theory that cooking created a very productive feedback loop in human evolution. We needed cooking to consume a diet sufficiently rich in protein to power our growing brains. However, our ancestors were way too aggressive to sit around a fire for an hour or so while our food cooked. Thus, the more docile humans had an evolutionary advantage and were able to complete great feasts without murdering each other.


Obviously, this evolution could only have occurred in the absence of in-laws.

[El Greco]

It's an evolutionary adaptation so that salesmen could improve their sales.