Are you having a laugh?
If you are a citizen of the province of Yamagata in Japan you will have been ordered by law to laugh daily for the sake of your health. Think this is a joke? No, it’s true.
Researchers from the local university found in a study that regular laughter can reduce your risk of heart disease and help you live longer. Hence the action taken by their government (which in itself made me laugh).
The study included 17,152 participants aged 40 and above who were part of an annual health check-up program. Participants were categorized based on their self-reported frequency of laughter into three groups: those who laughed at least once a week, those who laughed between once a month and once a week, and those who laughed less than once a month. Key findings of the study include:
- Participants who laughed less than once a month had a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality compared to those who laughed at least once a week.
- The incidence of cardiovascular events was higher in those who laughed less frequently.
A further study published in Preventive Medicine found that older people who laugh regularly with friends and family could be less likely to develop health problems than those who do not.
A study in Nursing and Health Sciences examined the effects of laughter on stress hormones and anxiety. The research found that laughter can significantly reduce levels of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. Additionally, laughter helps activate the body's relaxation response, thereby reducing anxiety.
Specifically, the study highlighted that spontaneous laughter led to a substantial decrease in cortisol levels (by about 32%) and reduced anxiety by lowering adrenaline levels. This supports the notion that laughter therapy can be an effective non-pharmacologic intervention for stress and anxiety reduction.
Laughter also brings us together, according to Sophie Scott, a professor at UCL. In her opinion it helps us create deeper connections with people. She gave a TED Talk on the subject ‘Why we Laugh’ which has been viewed over 4 million times.
For further information:-
Yamagata Study
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jea/30/4/30_JE20180249/_pdf
Study published in Preventive Medicine
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6125057/
Study published in Nursing and Health Sciences
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0286260
TED Talk by Professor Sophie Scott
https://www.ted.com/talks/sophie_scott_why_we_laugh?subtitle=en