Moo ha ha ha…(slightly more evil than the tone the article suggests)

Dr Lee Berk of Loma Linda University, California who has been studying the effects of laughter for more than two decades, said that the high you get from a giggling fit was similar to the endorphin rush from exercise. He describes “mirthful laughter” as the equivalent of “internal jogging” as it can lower stress, blood pressure, and boost the immune system much in the same way as moderate exercise. Could “laughercise” be a way to reduce heart disease and diabetes?

For the study, a number of volunteers asked to watch 20 minutes of comedies and stand up routines saw a dramatic drop in stress hormones, blood pressure and cholesterol. Dr Berk concluded “that the body’s response to repetitive laughter is similar to the effect of repetitive exercise”.

In the mid-1990s, Dr Berk found that laughter increases the number of natural killer cells in cancer patients. And in 1997, Dr Berk performed experiments with diabetic heart patients. One group watched a television comedy each day for one year, another did not. At the end of the year, the comedy-viewing group required less blood-pressure medication. Eight per cent of the comedy viewers had another heart attack, compared with 42 per cent of those who did not regularly view it.

Eight per cent of the comedy viewers had another heart attack, compared with 42 per cent of those who did not regularly view it.

Dr Berk believes that the mere anticipation of a good laugh can benefit health, and it’s also an important way to de-stress after a day’s work. Perfect my impending girlie weekend away with much chatter and belly laughter is gonna be good for my health too!! Must book more…

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