Laughing is often said to be the best medicine. In fact, according to Mayo Clinic, it has short and long-term stress relief benefits.
However, laughter could also be a sign of strokes or tumors. Here’s what you need to know.
How is laughter beneficial?
Laughter relieves stress naturally while also providing some social benefits.
Stress relief through mental and physical health benefits
Per Mayo Clinic, laughter is a great form of stress relief. For example, laughter:
- Stimulates organs to increase endorphins.
- Cools down stress responses.
- Soothes tension by improving circulation and relaxing muscles.
- Improves immune system so the body can fight stress and illness.
- Relieves pain by producing natural painkillers.
- Improves mood to lessen stress and cope with difficult situations.
Extra: Social benefits
According to Help Guide, laughter can bring individuals together and strengthen relationships. Find their examples below.
- Attracts others to us.
- Enhances teamwork.
- Defuses conflict.
- Promotes group bonding.
- Releases inhibitions.
Feeling down? How to find your laugh
It’s hard to start receiving the benefits of laughter when you’re feeling negative emotions such as sadness, fear or anxiety.
Fortunately, our brains can be reconditioned. Engaging in a hearty laughter or a simple giggle can trigger a chemical response, increasing “mood-elevating endorphins while decreasing stress hormones,” according to Erie Country Coalition Against Family Violence, or ECCAFV).
If you need to find yourself a good laugh, here are some ideas:
- Get a pet, according to Daring to Live Fully.
- Get silly with family or friends: Have a quick dancing session or swap jokes, for example, per Camp Quality.
- Learn to laugh at yourself, according to Daring to Live Fully.
- Set up a date with a friend, making sure to talk about what makes you feel good or funny stories, per ECCAFV.
- Set up a game night where tensions are not high, per Daring to Live Fully.
- Start a scrapbook, photo album, journal or something else of funny memories or quotes, according to Daring to Live Fully.
- Watch a local comedian or find a good stand up routine online, per ECCAFV.
- Watch a new or classic comedy film, according to ECCAFV.
What does laughter indicate, negatively?
Excessive or pathological laughter has been associated with various neurological medical conditions, including multiple sclerosis, brain tumors, strokes, Alzheimer’s disease, Pick’s disease and Wilson’s disease, per National Geographic.
According to an article published in Oxford Academic, pathological laughing includes episodes of uncontrollable laughter. Individuals may be triggered by something apparent, such as a funny show, or something that would not be considered funny. The laughter is out of proportion to the trigger.
Pathological laughter is also known as the pseudobulbar affect. Depending on a doctor’s diagnosis, somewhere between 5% to 50% of people with neurological illnesses live with pseudobulbar affect, per Verywell Mind.
How is pseudobulbar affect diagnosed?
According to Cleveland Clinic, there is no test to diagnose pseudobulbar affect. However, diagnosis can be based on:
- Symptoms.
- Medical history, noting any neurological conditions.
- Mental health history.
Treatment for pseudobulbar affect
While treatment may depend on the severity of the problem, Verywell Mind finds the oral medications below are commonly recommended:
- Antidepressants — can reduce the intensity of laughter by boosting serotonin.
- Dextromethorphan — helps regulate the central nervous system and is FDA approved.
As pseudobulbar affect is a neurological condition, there is currently nothing known to prevent development unless an underlying disorder is found and treated, per Cleveland Clinic.