By Donnie Yance
Can our behavior influence disease outcomes? The answer may lie in one of humanity’s most natural expressions: laughter.
Ancient wisdom has long suggested a connection between joy and health. The biblical proverb that “a merry heart does good like a medicine” (Proverbs 17:22) finds modern validation in scientific research. Democritus, the “laughing philosopher” who reportedly lived to 109, may have intuited what today’s researchers are proving: laughter can extend and enhance life.
Shelley Taught Me The Importance Of Laughter
My adopted father, Shelley Shelley, lived to be just one month shy of 100 years old. He smoked two packs of cigarettes daily from age 14 until he was 75. He was a cantankerous man who didn’t trust people easily and carried immense stress throughout his life. But boy, did he know how to tell jokes! He could make them up on the spot and laughed every day, though most of his jokes weren’t exactly clean.
Shelley was fiercely independent when it came to his health. Until the last eleven days of his life, he never took prescription or over-the-counter medications—only herbal formulas from me. He rarely saw a doctor, except for me, not even for checkups. Yet remarkably, his blood work always showed the vitality of a young man.
His greatest joy was sharing good food and meals with others. Shelley had a way of bringing people together, reminding us of the importance of sitting down to break bread, share stories, and fill the room with laughter.
Shelley and I in Florida 2012
The Physiological Impact of Laughter
As the saying goes, “laughter is the best medicine.” Many studies show health benefits from laughing. Laughter is capable of stimulating the vagus nerve.1 A study done on laughter yoga found increased Heart Rate Variability (HRV) in the laughter group.2
Recent studies also reveal that laughter triggers other beneficial physiological changes. A 2020 study3 in the Journal of Epidemiology found that adults who laughed at least weekly had a significantly lower risk of death compared to those who rarely laughed. The mechanism appears multifaceted: laughter dilates blood vessels, improves circulation, and releases endorphins, our body’s natural feel-good chemicals.
Pioneers in Laughter Therapy
Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams – A medical doctor and social activist, Patch Adams is famous for integrating humor and laughter into patient care. He founded the Gesundheit! Institute, emphasizing the healing power of laughter and joy in medicine.
Dr. Madan Kataria – An Indian physician who founded Laughter Yoga in 1995. His method combines laughter exercises with deep breathing and playful activities, promoting both mental and physical well-being.
Norman Cousins – was an American journalist, author, and editor who famously used laughter therapy to aid his recovery from ankylosing spondylitis, a painful and debilitating connective tissue disease that doctors believed had a poor prognosis.
He developed a treatment routine that included daily laughter sessions. He watched comedies like Candid Camera and Marx Brothers films, discovering that ten minutes of deep belly laughter provided him with at least two hours of pain-free sleep. He documented his experience in the book Anatomy of an Illness (1979), which became a landmark work in mind-body medicine.
Long-Lived Celebrities Known For Their Laughter
1. George Burns – lived to 100 years
- Legendary comedian and actor, famous for his sharp wit and cigar-chomping humor.
- Had a lifelong career in comedy, starring in The Burns and Allen Show with his wife, Gracie Allen.
- Known for saying, “If you live to be one hundred, you’ve got it made. Very few people die past that age.”
2. Bob Hope – lived to 100 years
- One of the greatest comedians and entertainers of all time.
- Known for his self-deprecating humor, quick wit, and countless USO performances for American troops.
- Famous for saying, “I don’t feel old. I don’t feel anything until noon. Then it’s time for my nap.”
3. Betty White – lived to 99 years
- Though she didn’t quite make it to 100, she was famous for her sharp humor and playful attitude.
- Known for The Golden Girls and her lifelong ability to make people laugh.
- Often joked about aging, saying, “I’m still hot… it just comes in flashes.”
4. Carl Reiner – lived to 98 years
- Comedy legend, writer, actor, and director known for The Dick Van Dyke Show and The 2000 Year Old Man (with Mel Brooks).
- Laughed daily with his best friend Mel Brooks until the end.
- Once said, “Laughter is the best medicine — unless you have diarrhea.”
Pain Management and Stress Reduction
Research demonstrates laughter’s effectiveness in pain management. A 2019 study4 showed that just 30 minutes of comedy viewing improved pain tolerance while enhancing mood. Dr. Trent Orfanos notes that “laughter can help improve circulation by dilating blood vessels, getting more blood and nutrients to tissues and organs while reducing stress hormones linked to heart disease.”
Mental Health Benefits
Laughter therapy has shown remarkable results in reducing anxiety and depression, particularly during challenging times. During the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing students who participated in online laughter therapy sessions reported increased life satisfaction and reduced anxiety. The therapy combines traditional laughter exercises with yogic breathing techniques, creating a holistic approach to mental wellness.5
Another meta-analysis of eight laughter therapy studies involving 543 participants showed that laughter could effectively relieve depression, anxiety, and stress in cancer patients.6
It’s actually funny trying to imagine serious academic researchers studying laughter. Is there a placebo for laughter? Can you ‘double blind’ laughter? Picture a test subject trying to figure out, “Am I laughing right now? Or am I just in the placebo group?”
Humor Is A Key To Longevity
A groundbreaking study in Psychosomatic Medicine reveals that humor may be key to longevity. Research following 53,556 Norwegians over 15 years found that women with strong cognitive humor skills had 48 percent lower mortality risk overall, with even more dramatic reductions in deaths from heart disease (73%) and infection (83%). Men with high humor scores showed a 74 percent lower risk of death from infection only.
The study focused on cognitive, social, and affective components of humor, with only the cognitive aspect showing significant health benefits. According to study co-author Sven Svebak of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, this cognitive component, a stable personality trait, may help people process daily experiences more positively, reducing stress hormone levels that can compromise immunity.
While partly genetic, humor can be developed through socialization. Those lacking humorous role models in childhood may struggle to use humor as a coping mechanism later in life. However, the ability to find life’s humor can be cultivated at any age.7
Clinical Applications
Clinical studies support laughter’s therapeutic potential with benefits including:
- Reduced blood pressure and heart rate
- Increased serotonin levels
- Improved cognitive function
- Enhanced social connections
- Better pain management in chronic conditions
A Prescription For Divine Joy
The evidence is clear: laughter isn’t just a social pleasure, it’s a powerful tool for health and longevity. As healthcare evolves, incorporating laughter therapy into treatment protocols may offer a natural, cost-effective complement to traditional medical approaches.
Good, clean humor celebrates the goodness of God and reflects His joy in creation. It’s a key component of joy, one of the primary attributes of the Holy Spirit which proceeds from our Father (Galatians 5:22-23). The spiritual walk should be a joyful one, filled with moments of genuine laughter and delight. Throughout scripture, we see examples of God’s people expressing joy and celebration, from David dancing before the Lord, to Jesus sharing moments of fellowship with his disciples. Jesus had a sense of humor, after all his first miracle was changing water into wine (John 2:1-12). The host ran out of wine, and at his mother’s prompting, Jesus asked the servants to fill six water jars with water. When the master of the banquet tasted the water, it had been turned into the finest wine.When we embrace wholesome humor, we mirror the divine joy that God intended for His creations and strengthen our bonds with fellow believers.
Conclusion
Laughter is more than just an expression of joy, it’s a powerful force for health, longevity, and human connection. From ancient wisdom to modern scientific research, the evidence overwhelmingly supports the idea that humor and laughter contribute to physical, mental, and even spiritual well-being. Whether through improving circulation, reducing stress hormones, enhancing immunity, or fostering deeper social bonds, laughter acts as a natural medicine that benefits every aspect of our lives.
The stories of long-lived individuals who embraced humor, the groundbreaking work of pioneers in laughter therapy, and the physiological studies on laughter’s impact all reinforce the same truth: cultivating joy is essential to a healthy and fulfilling life.
As we continue to explore laughter’s role in medicine and well-being, we should also embrace its place in our daily lives. Whether through structured therapy sessions, shared jokes, funny movies, or simply finding more opportunities for joy in daily life, the message is clear: laughter truly is a powerful free medicine that anyone and everyone can enjoy daily.
About the Author:
Donald R. Yance is the founder of the Mederi Center. A Clinical Master Herbalist and Certified Nutritionist, Donnie is renowned for his extraordinary knowledge and deep understanding of the healing properties of plants and nutrition, as well as of epigenetics, laboratory medicine, oncologic pathology, and molecular oncology. He is a professional member of the American Herbalists Guild, National Association of Nutrition Professionals, Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine, and the Society for Integrative Oncology.
References:
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2. A, Johnson MS, Edling N, Sethi GK. Effect of laughter yoga on mood and heart rate variability in patients awaiting organ transplantation: a pilot study, Altern Ther Health Med. 2012 Sep-Oct;18(5):61-6.
3. Morishima T, Miyashiro I, Inoue N, Kitasaka M, Akazawa T, Higeno A, Idota A, Sato A, Ohira T, Sakon M, Matsuura N. Effects of laughter therapy on quality of life in patients with cancer: An open-label, randomized controlled trial. PLoS One. 2019 Jun 27;14(6):e0219065. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219065. PMID: 31247017; PMCID: PMC6597115.
4. Stephanie S. Lapierre, Brett D. Baker, Hirofumi Tanaka, Effects of mirthful laughter on pain tolerance: A randomized controlled investigation, Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, Volume 23, Issue 4,
5. Eraydin C, Alpar SE. The effect of laughter therapy on nursing students’ anxiety, satisfaction with life, and psychological well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: Randomized controlled study. Adv Integr Med. 2022 Sep;9(3):173-179. doi: 10.1016/j.aimed.2022.06.006. Epub 2022 Jun 24.
6. Lin G, Yang L, Wang Y, Lin R, Huang B, Sheng X, Wu X, Cao Z. The Efficacy of Laughter Therapy on Psychological Symptoms in People With Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Studies. Psychooncology. 2024 Nov;33(11):e70010. doi: 10.1002/pon.70010. PMID: 39472305.7. “Laugh Lots, Live Longer” in SA Mind Vol. 27 No. 5 (September 2016), p. 17
doi:10.1038/scientificamericanmind0916-17b
7. “Laugh Lots, Live Longer” in SA Mind Vol. 27 No. 5 (September 2016), p. 17
doi:10.1038/scientificamericanmind0916-17b