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Healing Through Humor

Table of Contents


Overview

Your brain talks to your body

You're lying in bed with some kind of health problem, taking medicine and maybe getting some kind of treatment or therapy—and feeling pretty down. Or maybe you're taking care of someone who's ill, and it's wearing you out. Sometimes life can feel pretty overwhelming. This might seem like a crazy idea, but now's the time for you to laugh.

Think for a minute: Is there anything close by that might cheer you up? A TV show? A book? Your child dancing?

Whatever you're doing right now, stop and find something that makes you laugh. It may feel like a solution that won't last long, but laughter can help you forget about your troubles and help your body heal. That's right. Laughter can help your body heal.

Your brain talks to your body

You probably already know that your brain is in charge of things like what you think about and your ability to walk, talk, breathe, and move. But did you know that your brain also produces chemicals that affect everything from how fast your heart beats to how well you fight off disease?

Thanks to something called the mind-body connection, the simple act of laughing can tell your brain to produce chemicals that might: 1

Scientific research backs this up: The more you laugh, the better you'll feel and the healthier you'll be. Give it a try.

Learn more ways to laugh

Laughter is one of those things, like getting exercise or watching what you eat, that you can do yourself. There are many ways to bring more laughter into your life.

It's easy to think that the only things that can help your health are things that others do for you or to you—the medicines you take, the doctors you visit, the surgeries or operations you have. And these are all important. But laughter is effective treatment you can do for yourself. And you don't need a medical license to do it.


References

Citations

  1. Mora-Ripoll R (2010). Therapeutic value of laughter in medicine. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 16(6): 56–64.

Credits for Healing Through Humor

Current as of: June 24, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
Clinical Review Board (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.


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