Hear from the experts

We have heard from the Bible to Reader’s Digest that laughter is good medicine¹.  Diverse literature suggests that laughter and a good sense of humor can be beneficial to our health and well-being.²    It is popularly believed, but difficult to empirically prove, that laughter can decrease stress, reduce anxiety, discharge tension, and increase self-esteem. ³  We do know that laughter can lead to immediate increases in heart rate, respiratory rate, respiratory depth and oxygen consumption, followed by a period of muscle relaxation, with a corresponding decrease in heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure.⁴   In lay terms, this is very similar to the positive effects of exercise.

We have heard from the Bible to Reader’s Digest that laughter is good medicine¹.  Diverse literature suggests that laughter and a good sense of humor can be beneficial to our health and well-being.²    It is popularly believed, but difficult to empirically prove, that laughter can decrease stress, reduce anxiety, discharge tension, and increase self-esteem. ³  We do know that laughter can lead to immediate increases in heart rate, respiratory rate, respiratory depth and oxygen consumption, followed by a period of muscle relaxation, with a corresponding decrease in heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure.⁴   In lay terms, this is very similar to the positive effects of exercise.

But can laughter lower our blood glucose?  The research tells us that yes, laughter CAN lower blood glucose!  Japanese researcher Keiko Hayashi, PhD, RN, et al., published their findings that laughter lowered the increase in the rise of two hour post-prandial blood glucose (PPBG) in people with diabetes.  The research subjects attended a forty minute lecture after eating a meal on the first day and their PPBG rose on average 123 mg/dl.  The participants then attended a forty minute comedy show after eating the identical meal.  The two hour PPBG rose on average only 78 mg/dl.  They found this to be statistically significant.   Hayashi et al concluded that laughter decreased the PPBG and suggested “the importance of daily opportunities for laughter in patients with diabetes”.  ⁵  Translation:  rent two comedies tonight and you might have a better blood sugar in the morning!

Cardiologist and researcher Michael Miller, MD, conducted a study using laughter provoking movies to gauge the effect of emotions on cardiovascular health.  His research results showed that laughter was linked to the healthy function of the endothelium (the inner lining of blood vessels). When the research participants watched the dramatic and tense “Saving Private Ryan”,   the diameter of the blood vessels became more narrow or decreased by 35% in diameter.  While watching a comedy, the endothelium dilated or opened 22%.   Dr. Miller concluded that the “magnitude of change we saw in the endothelium is similar to the benefit we might see with aerobic activity, but without the aches, pains and muscle tension associated with exercise.   We don’t recommend that you laugh and not exercise, but we do recommend that you try to laugh on a regular basis. Thirty minutes of exercise three times a week, and 15 minutes of laughter on a daily basis is probably good for the vascular system.”⁶

Laughter and humor are very complex and very difficult to scientifically measure.   Researchers have attempted to examine, explain and dispute the claims that there are physical, mental, and psychological benefits of laughter.   But, even if there was not a shred of evidence that laughter positively affected our biology or health, I would not want to live without it. So rather than waiting for external events to determine our happiness we can find it inside ourselves by developing a positive attitude.  The more we practice smiling, laughing, being optimistic and enjoying life for no reason, the more we will discover that we already have what we seek.  The health sustaining factor may not be laughter itself but how laughter and humor are used to confront and handle life’s challenges—like diabetes.   So go ahead and laugh—for the health of it.