Is laughter the best medicine?

Laughter is the best medicine, or so the saying goes. But are there really any health benefits associated with humour and laughter? "Yes," says Carsten Niemitz, a human-biology professor. The health benefits of laughing have not been physiologically measured, but experts are fairly sure that endorphins, compounds that help reduce stress and provide feelings of […]

Laughter is the best medicine, or so the saying goes. But are there really any health benefits associated with humour and laughter?

"Yes," says Carsten Niemitz, a human-biology professor.

The health benefits of laughing have not been physiologically measured, but experts are fairly sure that endorphins, compounds that help reduce stress and provide feelings of happiness, are released during laughter.

This is why getting people to laugh helps against stress and depression.

"Laughter therapy" is not as crazy as it sounds, according to Niemitz.

"At first it seems phoney. Beginners tend to find it weird," Niemitz said. But over time, such therapy can ease depression, he said.

Laughter is generally triggered by incongruity, whether it’s unexpected real-life situations or the twist at the climax of a joke, but physical stimuli can also induce laughter, like being tickled.

Laughter also helps create a bond between people to draw them closer.

"People who can laugh together belong together," Niemitz said.

And not to worry, "it’s impossible to get sick from too much laughing," Niemitz says.

Fits of giggles, where a person just can’t stop laughing, are not dangerous to your health. They peter out in the end.

A normal good laugh lasts six to eight seconds. Scientists have timed them. (DPA)