Gelotology studies the biological and psychological effects of laughter on health and well-being. It has found that laughter can improve heart health, boost immunity, and reduce pain. Researchers have also identified which parts of the brain are responsible for laughter and what causes it. Psychoneuroimmunology explores the link between emotional states and health. Happy attitudes are linked to healthy bodies.
Laughter is serious business when it comes to living a long and healthy life. Some experts have gone so far as to quantify the particular biological causes of laughter, as well as its effects on health and well-being. This field of study, called gelotology, has quantified claims that laughter can improve heart health, boost immunity, and reduce pain. Other studies have focused on the sociological role of laughter in building group mentality or its psychological role in easing tension and decreasing depression.
A major component of gelotology is the study of how and why laughter even occurs. Building on the conventional wisdom that people can’t tickle themselves, scientific investigation over the past few decades has led to discoveries about which parts of the brain are responsible for laughter. According to a report presented by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles in 1998, a patient undergoing brain surgery started laughing as soon as a small section of her frontal lobe was stimulated by an electric current. This trigger response is thought to be part of a larger network that includes wide-ranging parts of the brain responsible for movement, cognition, and emotion.
Another consideration of gelology is what causes laughter in the first place. Some sides are stacking in this regard, with some believing that genetics have incorporated this way of responding to new stimuli. Others believe, however, that laughter is more of a conditioned response to any number of new experiences, from physical stimuli like a tickle to more subtle causes like something tapping the feeling just right.
Regardless of the causes, the University of Maryland Medical Center concluded in 2000 that laughter and a sense of humor could contribute to better heart health. Of the 300 study participants — half with heart disease and half without — the researchers found that those with heart disease seemed to be less likely to find reasons to laugh. Other gelology studies have also shown that comedic environments can improve stress levels, pain, and immune response. In particular, laughter and light-heartedness appear to cause the body to release less catecholamine hormones, so-called fight-or-flight hormones that can raise stress levels and tax the immune system.
An important branch of gelotology is called psychoneuroimmunology, which involves professionals from different fields looking for links between certain emotional states and health. Different types of researchers participate in this field, from psychologists and neuroscientists to immunologists and physicians. While some illnesses and injuries can’t be avoided simply by cultivating a healthy sense of humor, the consensus of these scientists is that there is a direct link between happy attitudes and healthy bodies.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
