Why Do We Laugh?

We are all born with the ability to laugh. Laughter is a universal language, but  unlike language, laughter occurs unconsciously. It's very difficult to laugh on command and even if we do, it won't feel the same as spontaneous laughter.

Involuntary laughter involves a multitude of brain mechanisms, many of which remain a mystery.  Laughter triggers unexpected sensations and thoughts. When you laugh, your entire body may be affected, from your facial expressions and breathing patterns to the muscles in your arms and legs.  The critical laughter trigger for most people is another person, not a joke, a sitcom or a funny movie.  Laughter occurs 30 times more frequently in social setting than is solitary settings.

Laughter is a tool for emotional and social bonding as well as when humans are looking for a mate.  There are distinct differences in male and female laugh patterns.  Research by Dr. Provine found that women laugh 126% more than men in cross-gender conversations, with men preferring to be the one prompting the laughter. In a review of more than 3,700 newspaper personal ads, Dr. Provine revealed that women were 62% more likely to mention laughter, including seeking a mate with a sense of humor, while men were more likely to offer humor in their ads.

A German study also revealed that the more a woman laughed during a first meeting with a man, the greater her interest in him was. The men also reported being more interested in the women who laughed often.

The saying "laugh and the whole world laughs with you" is more than just an expression: laughter really is contagious. The sound of laughter triggers regions in the premotor cortical region of your brain, which is involved in moving your facial muscles to correspond with sound.

It's thought that laughter may have occurred before humans could speak as a way to strengthen group bonds, as even today our brains are wired to prime us to smile or laugh when we hear others laughing. 

Laughter rarely occurs in the middle of a sentence. Instead, laughter tends to occur at the end of sentences or during a break in speech, which suggests language is given the priority.  Sometime however, you are laughing so hard that you can't speak at all, even if you are trying to.  This can last for a number of seconds.  

Laughter makes you feel good, but it's also good for your physical health. Perhaps one of the most well-known forerunners of "the science of happiness" was Norman Cousins, who in 1964 was diagnosed with a life-threatening autoimmune disease. After being given a one in 500 chance of recovery, Cousins created his own laughter therapy program, which he claims was the key to his ultimate recovery.

Indeed, research has shown laughter may reduce stress hormones and boost your immune function,  while also inducing optimistic feelings.  Laughter has demonstrated a wealth of physiological, psychological, social, spiritual, and quality-of-life benefits, such that increasing numbers of health care centers are adopting laughter therapy as a form of complementary care. Opportunities that provide for group laughter, such as laughter yoga and laugh parties, are also becoming increasingly popular around the world.

Some Benefits of Laughter: 

1.  Relaxes your muscles

2.  Enhances creativity and memory

3.  Improves well-being and positive emotions

4.  Triggers the release of your body's natural painkillers (endorphins)

5.  Eases digestion

6.  Boosts immune function

7.  Improves sleep

8.  Enhances oxygen intake

9.  Improves blood pressure

All laughter is not positive. When laughter is mean and cruel or directed at you, it can cause social bonds to break and result in serious emotional damage.  No one enjoys being laughed at.  Laughter can be a tool for healing or a weapon of cruelty.  It all depends on the circumstances. 

Philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle are said to have studied laughter not so much in a positive light but because they believed it showed derision and asserted superiority.  When in the wrong hands, laughter can become a powerful tool for exclusion, manipulation, and even social control.

Humans begin laughing at about 3.5 to 4 months of age. And if you're lucky, you'll continue for the rest of your life. When done in a positive light, laughter is freeing and stress relieving, offering so much benefit that some experts recommend everyone get 15 to 20 minutes of laughter a day, much like you should exercise regularly and eat your vegetables.

Unfortunately, laughter tends to slow down as we get older.  Some adults rarely laugh at all, but some babies and youngsters are laughing machines! 

When was the last time you really had a good laugh?  Laughter is truly a powerful medicine with no known side effects.

For More Information:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/06/19/laughter.aspx?x_cid=20140619_nonlead_f...