Both anti-stress, relaxing, protective of the heart and blood vessels, good for immunity and pulmonary function, provider of well-being and pleasure … But what is this miracle drug? Laughter, quite simply. “Laughter is a very complete muscular exercise that uses most of our muscles, ranging from those of the face to those of the legs, passing through the diaphragm (involved in breathing) and the abdominal muscles, explains neuroscience professor Jean- Christophe Cassel. During a burst of laughter, these contract very quickly and strongly. This allows an enormous energy expenditure “. What to help keep the line!
Laughter mobilizes almost every muscle
In work published by American researchers at Vanderbilt University (Tennessee) in 2007 in the International Journal of Obesity, it appeared that 10 to 15 minutes of laughter per day would burn 10 to 40 kcal, which is equivalent to weight loss of up to 2 kilos per year. And above all, the strong contraction of several muscles, then their relaxation induces a feeling of relaxation and therefore also helps to fight against stress. “Post-laughter relaxation lasts approximately 45 minutes“, specifies another American publication, published in 2008 in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. With its anti-stress and relaxing benefits, laughter also allows you to fall asleep faster and longer.
A 2011 Korean study described in the journal Geriatrics & Gerontology International, conducted among 109 people over 65, found that laughter reduced the frequency of insomnia and improved sleep quality, with an average insomnia score of 7.6 vs. 8, and an average sleep quality score of 7.3 vs. 7.
Laughter modulates the activity of our nervous system
“Laughter also acts on two major components of our nervous system, which it successively activates – via mechanisms not fully understood -: the” sympathetic nervous system “, which aims to accelerate the heart and increase tension. arterial blood pressure, and the “parasympathetic nervous system”, which has opposite effects (slowing down of the heart and lowering of blood pressure) “, continues Professor Cassel. In doing so, “laughter induces a contraction then a relaxation of the arteries, which develops their elasticity; a dilation then a contraction of the bronchi, hence better oxygenation; an increase then a slowing down of the heart rate; etc.”
However, these physiological changes help to maintain good physical health, as confirmed by Anglo-Dutch work from 2019, published in the journal Social Science & Medicine: after analyzing 115 studies, the researchers noted that laughter decreases the blood sugar levels, blood pressure, heart rate, and improves immunity and lung function. Another study, from New Zealand this time and published in 2018 in Complementary Therapies in Medicine, concluded that watching a humorous video for 6 minutes induces cardiac benefits “similar to those of physical exercise” (walking, running walk…).
Laughter stimulates the release of dopamine
“When it is triggered by a joke or a surprise effect (joke, burlesque situation …), laughter stimulates the release of dopamine, a molecule at the origin of the sensation of pleasure, and endorphins , which have a calming, relaxing, well-being, and anxiolytic effect, “explains Prof. Cassel. Hence the anti-depression action of laughter. “Numerous works attest to the beneficial virtues of laughter in reducing negative emotions”, confirms an Italian study, published in 2019 in the journal “Psychiatria Danubina”, which analyzed the results of some sixty works on this subject published during of the last three decades. But the release of endorphins also helps to reduce pain, “these molecules also have an analgesic effect”, explains Professor Cassel. Here, a British study showed that laughing for 15 minutes is enough to increase pain tolerance by about 10%.
This is why hospitals call on professional clowns – like those at La Rire Médecin. Concerning this type of intervention specifically, “several studies have revealed that the presence of clowns when performing painful acts (sting, puncture, etc.) decreases the need for analgesics”, emphasizes Sylvie Chokron.
Our experts:
- Sylvie Chokron, neuropsychologist, research director at the CNRS and at the University of Paris, author of A day in Anna’s brain (ed. Eyrolles)
- Jean-Christophe Cassel, professor of neurosciences at the University of Strasbourg
Read also :
- Cancer: laughter therapy to reduce pain
- 5 liberating exercises to learn to laugh
- American hospital offers laughter therapy
- To die of laughter, it’s possible
