If you want to know more about the benefits of laughter, then read this article. This article will help you to appreciate and practice laughter on many occasions to improve on your health.

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THE POWER AND BENEFITS OF LAUGHTER
Laughter is one of the most important aspects of social interaction and a fundamental form of
human communication. It occurs in different forms such as a snort, cackle, chortle, as well as a
little or wild burst of giggle. According to Heggie (2019), laughter has power as it is able to add
cheerfulness to everyday activities. It also carries a social connection that helps to bond
individuals together. Laughter is first demonstrated in babies at around 14 to 16 weeks as it
forms an important aspect of their interaction with their care givers. This means that we are able
to express ourselves with laughter before we gain the ability to speak a language. Studies show
that laughter occurs approximately 400 times per day in many children and about 15 times per
day among many adults.
Meanwhile, many researches into laughter have revealed that it boosts health, strengthens
the immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects us from the harmful effects of
stress. Incidents of laughter can serve as a dependable way of bringing our minds and bodies into
balance. It also helps us to release anger and forgive the offender. It inspires hope, connects
people, and keeps you focused and alert. When laughter is experienced in an encouraging
circumstance, it has the power to heal and renew the body. The ability to laugh easily and
frequently is an incredible resource for overcoming problems, improving relationships, and
supporting both physical and emotional health. Studies like that of Provine (1992) have shown
that laughter is a priceless medicine that keeps people healthy and adds more years to one’s life.

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What is laughter?
Laughter is an outburst of sound that occurs as a reaction to stimuli and is induced by internal or
external factors within particular circumstances, events, situations, or with particular persons. It
is a physical manifestation that occurs as a result of a state of being, a state of thought, or as an
emotional response. Laughter is a way that the body regulates its excitement and releases a pent
up pressure that has been built up within the body. This usually occurs through such physical
expressions as a chuckle, giggle, titter, roar, bellow, and cackle. It is the ability to express one’s
internal sentiments with an external expression. In the view of a behavioral neurobiologist and a
laughter researcher called Povine (1992), laughter is an unconscious vocalization where sound is
emitted and emotions are expressed from deep within the body.
On many occasions, laughter pressures the brain to conduct a set of gestures and
simultaneously produces a sound. A hearty laugh has the ability to cause changes in many parts
of the body including the arm, leg, and
trunk muscles. In some circumstances, the
body performs rhythmic, vocalized,
expiratory, and involuntary actions along
with the outburst of peculiar sounds when
hearty laughter occurs.
It was identified by Provine that
during laughter, 15 facial muscles contract
and there is a stimulation of the muscle of
the lips, the respiratory system is upset by the epiglottis which slightly closes the larynx in a way
that the intake of air occurs irregularly which makes the person to gasp. In thrilling situations, the
tear ducts are stimulated, the mouth opens and closes, and the struggle for oxygen intake results.
Provine discovered that all human laughter involves variations that consist of short and vowel-
like notes that are repeated every 210 millisecond. It triggers other neural circuits in the brain,
which, in turn, generates more laughter in others and this explains why laughter is infectious.
Types of Laughter

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Based on various theories, the types of laughter fit into three main categories. These include
affiliation, de-escalation, and power types of laughter while there are many other types as
discussed below.
Affiliation type of laughter
This type of laughter is the most common one as it encompasses an expression of excitement
which serves as a tool for social bonding and an indication of collaboration. This type of laughter
expresses a sign of social acceptance and it develops cooperation amongst individuals
De-escalation type of laughter
This type of laughter occurs when a person is releasing discomfort. This laughter also sends the
inherent message that the situation that had caused the discomfort is trivial to the person who is
laughing. For instance, an individual may laugh at an unfavorable story to calm social tensions
and indicate that the story did not upset him or her. In this situation, the laughter diminishes or
de-escalates the tension of the situation and it signals to others that they can participate in the
laughing as well.
Power type of laughter
This type of laughter reinforces power dynamics as it communicates mockery. This laughter is
usually directed on other people or things through an expression of power or superiority.
Etiquette Laughter
Etiquette laughter occurs at occasions where one has to express an excitement at anything due to
the special type of respect that one has for the other such as one’s boss or supervisor. People rely
on this type of laughter to get along with others, so whether the person is the boss or a friend, the
laughter just erupts out of nothing. This kind of laughter is also expressed when one wants to
show agreement to someone who can offer help or as a response of an employee towards an
uninteresting tale of the boss.
Contagious Laughter
This is where laughter starts from one person or a group of persons and spreads across a range of
people with or without the knowledge of what triggered it. According to Provine, contagious
laughter raises the possibility that humans have laugh detectors. This indicates that humans have
the tendency of responding to laughter when they hear laughter itself. It was this type of laughter
that occurred in Tanganyika, now Tanzania, in 1962 and was reported by Sebastian (2003) in the

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Chicago Tribune. This incidence was called a laughter epidemic because a laughter that started
among a few students at the campus in a village in Tanganyika spread to the wider community.
Nervous Laughter
During times of anxiety, some people often laugh in a subconscious attempt to reduce stress and
calm their emotions down. This type of laughter pops up when a person wants to project some
level of dignity and control. This is an uncontrollable laughter that arises out of the awkwardness
of situations. Nervous laughter is often termed as fake laughter which is very common among
young girls.
Belly Laughter
Belly laughter is considered the most honest type of laughter. It occurs when a person finds or
experiences something that is truly funny before one will let go with the kind of laughter that
makes the person to grasp the bellies and yearn for air.
Pigeon Laughter
This is a giggling that results from hiding an upsurge of laughter. In this situation, the person
laughs without opening the mouth. The lips are sealed while the laughter generates a humming
sound which resembles the humming of a pigeon or of bees.
Silent Laughter
A simple laughter that the sound is reduced to the barest minimum is considered as a silent
laughter. It occurs with the same deep breathing from the belly but the sound is kept at a very
low level.
Snorting Laughter
This is the laughter that occurs in a way that it appears like the person is blowing out or sucking
in air through the nose.
Canned Laughter
This is the laughter that arises when one context is completely taken and placed in another
context. It is the kind of laughter that television producers place over soundtracks to increase the
chances of the audience to find humor in the material that is presented and or at least laughing in
response to it.
Cruel Laughter
This is a kind of insensitive laughter that occurs when people do not show any polite gesture
towards those they laugh at. It is an expression of joy over someone’s weakness or suffering.

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Causes of Laughter
Laughter is not always caused by amusement or humor. There are other kinds of non-humorous
laughter which occurs as a result of tickling or after inhaling nitrous oxide. Nonetheless, in most
situations, laughter occurs in the presence of humor. The superiority theory relies on the notion
that people tend to let out laughter as a result of pleasure at the expense of someone else because
of their perceived superiority.
Also, the incongruity theory argues that laughter arises from situations where
expectations and the understanding of social norms differ. This theory argues that laughter
occurs as a result of emotions that arise from unexpected situations. This theory clarifies the
difference that exists between the laughter that results from an amazingly blissful event and the
laughter that results from an unfortunate one. The relief theory also argues that laughter often
occurs as a tool for the relief of stress or discomfort.
Furthermore, four kinds of stimuli have been identified as the consequence of laughter in
some cases. One of these stimuli is tickling. Tickling is a physical stimulation that induces
laughter. When a person is tickled, a minor discomfort is transformed into pleasure. This does
not mean that tickling is essentially an erotic incidence but when it occurs, it evokes the release
of neural energy that is of a sexual character. In other words, tickling occasions a type of brief
feeling of dismay and an emerging fear of attack is suddenly dispelled through recognition of the
harmlessness of the tickling.
Another cause of laughter is the introduction of nitrous oxide into the lungs which is also
designated as a laughing gas. The inhalation of this type of gas into the body tends to excite the
neural system and the ensuing stock of nervous energy, having been attained easily and
amusingly, expresses itself most conveniently in outbursts of laughter. Again, a rapid gathering
of sex hormones, especially in adolescent girls cause spasms of laughter in the same manner as
nitrous oxide affect the body towards incidences of laughter. This gives an understanding of the
way teenage girls happen to exhibit laughing spasms at certain times.
In other situations, there can be an outburst of laughter with no instance of a cause for it.
In such cases, the laughter starts as a nervous outburst although it may be psychological in
nature. It occurs as an emotion that pops up from a built up of surplus energy and this is
repeatedly expressed in explosions of groundless laughter.

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The Power of Laughter
Laughter has been found to have various types of powers that it exerts within and outside the
body.
The Physical Power of Laughter
Laughter tends to cause various conditions within the body as long as it occurs. It helps to
develop the muscles and strengthens the upper body during infancy. It relies on complex
combinations of facial muscles in series of movements that involves the eyes, head, and
shoulders. In other words, laughing or observing it in others stimulates multiple regions of the
brain. When the motor cortex in the brain for example is activated during laughter, it stimulates it
to control the muscles in the frontal lobe of the brain which helps the person to understand the
context within which he or she is laughing. At the same time, the motor cortex in the brain
stimulates the limbic system which modulates positive emotions during laughter.
The Cognitive Power of Laughter
The turning on of all the nervous circuits in the body during laughter
helps to strengthen the neural connections and aids healthy brain
coordination. When the neural pathways of emotions
like joy and merriment are activated during laughter,
it improves the mood and makes physical and
emotional response to stress become less intense. This
means laughter helps to control brain levels of the
neurotransmitter that is called serotonin which acts in a similar
manner as antidepressants. Laughter also minimizes the brain’s
responses to threats as it limits the release of neurotransmitters
and hormones like cortisol. This cortisol can wear down
cardiovascular and metabolic systems over time. This makes laughter to be considered as a kind
of antidote to stress.
Additionally, laughter produces positive emotions that lead to feelings of amusement,
happiness, and joy which help in the building of resilience and increases creative thinking. It also
increases subjective wellbeing and life satisfaction. It also serves as a coping mechanism for
one’s health because it makes a person feel empowered and less stressful.

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The Social Power of Laughter
Laughter helps to create social bonds and augments intimacy with others. Chuckles and belly
laughs for example seldom happen when alone. This means some types of laughter occur in
social settings where the expression involves the action of more than one person. Infants for
example make use of laughter as an external sign of pleasure and this helps to strengthen the
bonds that they have with their caregivers. In other circumstances, laughter serves as an external
sign of sharing an appreciation of a situation. An expression of one’s feelings with laughter
shows acceptance of the joy that is exhibited. Studies by psychologists have found that men with
Type ‘A’ personality characteristics which includes competitiveness, self-control, and high
motivation to achieve results tend to laugh more, while women with these characteristics laugh
less. Moreover, both genders laugh more when they are with others than when they are alone.
Benefits of Laughter
The Physiological Benefits of Laughter
 Laughter has long been considered as a good medicine for humans. Researches have
shown that laughter is linked to healthy functioning of the blood vessels. This is because
laughter causes the tissue that forms the inner lining of blood vessels, the endothelium, to
dilate or expand which helps in the free flow of blood.
 Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine or adrenaline,
dopamine, and growth hormone. It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones
like endorphins, and neurotransmitters.
 Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the
effectiveness of ‘T’ cells which are part of white blood cells called lymphocytes and are
developed from the stem cells in the bone marrow. Increased production of ‘T’ cells
means a stronger immune system and fewer physical effects of stress when laughter
occurs.
 Also, laughter changes body chemistry and brain functioning as well as increases heart
and respiratory rates and oxygen consumption over a short period. After these initial
changes, a person moves into a state of relaxation with less feeling of stress. According to
Addyman et al. (2018), 10-15 minutes of laughter each day is capable of burning 10-40
extra calories in the body.

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 Laughter positively affects heart functioning as it increases cardiac output and dilates
blood vessels.
 The watching of humorous videos and laughing at what they present improves the
activities of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and helps to reduce the chances of
getting high blood pressure.
 Laughter lowers levels of the stress hormone called cortisol.
 Laughter activates the mesolimbic dopaminergic reward system in the brain and this
helps to improve on one’s sense of wellbeing.
Psychological Benefits of Laughter
 Studies have shown that real laughter can heal, aid, and prevent a number of mental
health related issues.
 Laughter brings about the feeling of goodness and this positive feeling can remain even
after the laughter subsides.
 Laughter helps people to keep a positive, optimistic outlook through difficult situations,
disappointments, and loss.
 Laughter gives people a relief from sadness and pain, courage, and strengthens one to
find new sources of meaning and hope. Even in the most difficult situations, a laugh or
even a simple smile can go a long way toward making a person feel better.
 Laughter stops distressing emotions like anger, sadness, and fear.
 It increases energy and enables a person to stay focused and accomplish more.
 Laughter shifts perspectives and allows a person to see situations in a more realistic and
less threatening light.
Health Benefits of Laughter
 Laughter has been found to have positive effects on some illnesses. It, for example,
improves cardiac activity and blood circulation and thereby helps prevent coronary heart
diseases. This means laughing more helps to lower the risk of heart attack.
 Studies have found that laughter therapy effectively delays cardiovascular complications
of type 2 diabetes.

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 The watching of comedy movies and consequently laughing helps to decrease overall rise
in glucose levels after eating.
 Those who have high propensity of laughing have fewer episodes of arrhythmias and
recurrent myocardial ischemia during cardiac rehabilitation.
 Laughter increases the tolerance for pain
 Long periods of laughter sessions reduce hyperinflation of the lungs in people with
severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
 Laughter releases endorphins which are the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. These
chemicals promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain
and stress.
 Laughter decreases cortisol levels
that are related to stress and
therefore reduces stress levels.
 Full-bellied laughter burns calories
and causes the muscles to relax.
 Laughter improves the body's
blood flow and proper function of
the respiratory system so that the
carriage of oxygen to blood cells and the dispelling of carbon dioxide occur
appropriately.
 Laughter improves mood states, helps build stronger immune system, reverse the
negative effects of stress, and wards off chemical reactions that harm the body.
 It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones like endorphins which helps to
maintain good health. These hormones influence the body into the feeling of happiness.
 A good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abdominal muscles, and even
works out the shoulders, and afterwards leaves the muscles more relaxed. It even
provides a good workout for the heart.
 Laughter provides more lighthearted perspectives and helps to view challenging events as
less threatening and more positive.
 A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving the muscles relaxed for
up to 45 minutes afterwards.

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 The good feeling that results from laughter triggers a chemical reaction in the brain which
releases small proteins called neuropeptides. These tiny molecules maintain immune
tolerance and help fight potentially serious illnesses.
 Laughter creates positive feelings and it increases one’s life span, cardiovascular health,
and lowers the rates of depression.
Social Benefits of Laughter
Laughter improves the satisfaction of bonding and keeps relationships alive. This is why a large
number of people who are single have the desire to get a partner who possesses a sense of humor
or can make them laugh. According to Scott et al. (2014), those who employ and appreciate the
use of laughter in their relationships experience greater satisfaction with their partners. This
means the presence of laughter at most times in relationships brings about positive outcomes.
Other social benefits include the following:
 Laughter and smiles connect people. A shared laugh is good for the soul and builds
bridges between those who share it. In most cases, people enjoy being around others who
laugh much and makes it part of their everyday experience.
 Laughter helps to build stronger social relationships.
 Laughter signals cooperation which is a key aspect of human survival, and it promotes a
healthier body.

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 It helps to elevate the mood of people around and thereby reduce their stress levels as
well as improve the quality of social interactions that are experienced with them.
 Laughter brings people’s focus away from anger, guilt, stress, and negative emotions in a
more beneficial way than other mere distractions. Nothing disperses anger and conflict
faster than a shared laugh. It enables people to move on from confrontations without
holding onto bitterness or resentment.
 Shared laughter is one of the most effective methods for upholding relationships fresh
and exciting. All emotional sharing of laughter builds strong and lasting relationship
bonds as well as adds joy, liveliness, and resilience.
 Also, laughter is a powerful and effective way to heal bitterness, differences, and
discomforts in relationships.
 Laughter facilitates the process of uniting people during difficult times.
 Laughter and playful communication strengthen relationships as they trigger positive
feelings and foster emotional connection. When laughter persists among groups, it creates
a positive bond between them. This type of bond acts as a strong buffer against stress,
disagreements, tensions, and conflicts.
 Laughter helps people to shift their thoughts away from their troubles, resentments,
judgments, criticisms, and doubts.
How to Bring More Laughter into Your life
Laughter is a natural part of life that is innate and inborn. Infants begin to smile during the first
few weeks of their life and they laugh out loud within months of being born. This shows that
laughter is an important part of every human being and the expression of it is necessary for
healthy living. This is why it is important to exercise series of laughter sessions in your life.
Some of the ways that this can be done include the following:
 Begin by setting aside special times to seek out humor and laughter with friends, on
social media, or with partners.
 Smile anytime you look at someone or see something that is even mildly pleasing.
 The simple act of considering the positive aspects of your life at most times will help you
distance yourself from negative thoughts that block humor and laughter.

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 Share in other people’s happiness or move towards wherever there is laughter if it
appears to be convenient. Some people feel very happy in sharing their happiness as it
gives them the opportunity to laugh again and feed on the humor that is found in it.
 Try to find time and be with funny or playful people. Their playful points of view and
laughter are contagious. If even you do not consider yourself as a lighthearted or
humorous person, you can still seek out people who like to laugh and make others to
laugh. Moments with these people can help you build up and improve on your inner
emotions.
 You can stimulate laughter when you are with friends. This can make the group more
productive and fun.
 Try to stimulate yourself by laughing at your own mistakes and faults. By doing this, you
try to avoid embarrassing or defending yourself for what you have done but it helps you
to embrace your imperfections.
 When something negative happens or when you go through a negative situation, try to
make it a humorous narrative that will make others laugh. This will help you to release
tension, have a positive outlook towards the negative event, and build up your inner self
for the better.
 You can lighten up and increase your laughing sessions by keeping a toy on your desk or
in your car, putting a funny poster in your office or room, choosing a computer
screensaver that makes you laugh, and/or framed photos of you and your family or
friends having fun. Place some of these photos or funny objects at vantage points that you
can see at most times. These things can trigger laughter and keep you happy at most
times.
 Do not dwell on events or things that are negative. Try to avoid negative people and do
not dwell on news stories, entertainment, or conversations that make you sad or unhappy.
Many things in life are beyond your control, more specifically the behavior of other
people. Try not to carry the weight or worries of your family, friends, or the world on
your shoulders for people to admire you. You have to know that it is unrealistic and
unhealthy to waste precious time brooding on difficult challenges that do not have
achievable, realistic, and time-bound solutions.

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 Deal with your stress levels anytime it pops up. Stress can be a major impediment to
laughter so it is important to keep your stress levels in check. One great method that can
help you relief your stress in a moment is to dwell on a favorite memory that always
makes you smile or laugh. This, for example, can be something your kids did or
something funny that a friend told you.
 Do not go through a day without laughing. As you make it a conscious effort to feed your
body, try to do same by smiling or laughing each day which feeds your emotions
positively.
 Find something each day that makes you laugh or set aside 10 to 15 minutes and do
something that amuses you. The more you get used to laughing each day, the less effort
you will have to make it happen and the more you will stay happy and healthy.
 As you integrate laughter into your life through the playing of games with family
members, friends, or loved ones, your creativity will flourish and new opportunities for
laughing with friends, coworkers, acquaintances, and loved ones will occur to you daily.
This type of laughter will take you to a higher level where you can view the world from a
more relaxed, positive, and joyful perspective.
 Hang out with your pet. Chase your pet as it runs around the house or play with their
favorite toy.
 Chat with a friend and consider reaching out to those who stir your emotions up. You
might swap funny pictures or remember a comical moment you shared through a video
call or a few lighthearted text messages. Connecting with a friend on social media for
example can add more laughter to your life.
Conclusion
The ability to laugh, play, and have fun not only makes life more enjoyable but it also helps you
to solve personal and social problems, connect with others, and think more creatively. People
who incorporate laughter and play into their daily lives with humor find that it renews them and
all of their relationships. As life brings challenges that can either get the best of you or become
playthings for your imagination, try to adopt a positive way of turning all challenges, negative
outcomes, and stressful moods into positive light with laughter. This means, playing with
problems can help you to transform them into opportunities for creative learning. Having

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interactions with and creating opportunities for laughing with friends, coworkers, acquaintances,
and loved ones on daily basis can serve as a sure way of maintaining good health, happiness,
wellbeing, more relaxed and positive view of the world, as well as joyful perspective of your life.
References
Addyman, C., Fogelquist, C., Levakova, L., & Rees, S. (2018). Social facilitation of laughter and
smiles in preschool children. Frontiers in Psychology, 9.
Heggie, B. (2019). The healing power of laughter. Journal of Hospital Medicine, 14(5).
laughter. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 18(12): 618-620.
Provine, R. R. (1992). Contagious laughter: laughter is a sufficient stimulus for laughs and
Scott, S. K., Lavan, N., Chen, S., & Mcgettigan, C. (2014). The social life of smiles. Bulletin of the
Psychonomic Society, 30(1); 1-4.
Sebastian, S. (2003). Examining 1962’s ‘laughter epidemic’. News Article. Chicago Tribune,
July 29, 2003.