Laughter Dissolves Anger and Stress
There is no doubt that laughter minimize the effects of anger and stress on body and brain. Evidence suggests that simply anticipating laughter releases health protecting hormones and reduces the detrimental effects of stress hormones.In one study, researchers had volunteers anticipate watching a humorous video. Their bodies released stress regulating hormones simply from anticipation.
Beta-endorphin associated with the alleviation of depression increased by 27 percent; Human growth hormone which boosts immunity increased by a whopping 87 percent. All from the promise and anticipation of laughter. In the control group which was not given the option of anticipation, no such increases occurred.
A second study using the same protocol showed that anticipation reduced the stress hormone cortisol by 39 percent, adrenaline by 70 percent and dopamine catabolite which produces adrenaline by 38 percent.
These findings strongly confirm the beneficial effects of laughter and joy on body and brain.
A new study done at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology alhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifso shows that having a sense of humor can keep a person healthy until retirement age. After age 75, the health benefits of humor decrease.
Examining the health records of over 53,000 people tracked for seven years, researchers found that laughter and humor continues to have a beneficial effect on people until age 75, when genetics and biological aging seem to assume greater importance as shown by the the lack of a definitive effect of humor on life expectancy.
More on humor and life expectancy can be found here.
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