I think most of us can agree that we all "feel better" when laughing but a few things I found interesting was this:
"Laughter has an effect similar to antidepressants. Laughing activates the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin, the same brain chemical affected by the most common types of antidepressants, SSRIs. It’s not clear from the research how long this effect sticks around, but the burst of brain activity laughing triggers is undoubtedly potent, at least for short periods of time."
But Laughter also seems to release dopamine and other endorphins - it seems that although it increases serotonin it has remarkable positive benefits and I imagine the increase of dopamine helps control the serotonergic increase
I do notice that when my serotonin and dopamine are both high - I laugh a lot more but this does not happen when my serotonin is high by itself or when my dopamine is high by itself - it's in interesting thought and i think there is more at play
but what about this nitric oxide bit ? seems to be interesting
The results of many scientific studies on the effects of laughter have led most experts to agree that laughter can be remarkably therapeutic. For example, laughter and humor have been shown to increase tolerance to pain. Additionally, researchers in Japan have found that laughter lowered blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes by altering gene expression. Even more exciting are the findings on the cardiovascular benefits of mirthful laughter. In a recent study by researchers at the University of Maryland, researchers found that endorphins released by the brain in response to laughter cause the production of nitric oxide (NO), which then triggers a number of cardio-protective signaling processes responsible for not only vasodilation but also for reducing platelet aggregation and vascular inflammation. Laughter furthermore has been shown to have positive effects on the immune system. Professor Lee Berk from Loma Linda University reported that laughter increased the activity of several critical antibodies and natural killer cells, which are essential in anti-tumor defense. These studies represent only a small subset of the scientific literature attesting to the positive benefits of laughter. So laugh on, Yale!
Six Science-Based Reasons Why Laughter Is The Best Medicine
The science on laughter is clear: it's vital brain and heart medicine that's also crucial for healthy relationships.
www.forbes.com
"Laughter has an effect similar to antidepressants. Laughing activates the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin, the same brain chemical affected by the most common types of antidepressants, SSRIs. It’s not clear from the research how long this effect sticks around, but the burst of brain activity laughing triggers is undoubtedly potent, at least for short periods of time."
But Laughter also seems to release dopamine and other endorphins - it seems that although it increases serotonin it has remarkable positive benefits and I imagine the increase of dopamine helps control the serotonergic increase
I do notice that when my serotonin and dopamine are both high - I laugh a lot more but this does not happen when my serotonin is high by itself or when my dopamine is high by itself - it's in interesting thought and i think there is more at play
Can Laughter be Therapeutic? – Yale Scientific Magazine
Neuroscientific research is revealing the ways in which laughter may really be an effective medicine.
www.yalescientific.org
but what about this nitric oxide bit ? seems to be interesting
The results of many scientific studies on the effects of laughter have led most experts to agree that laughter can be remarkably therapeutic. For example, laughter and humor have been shown to increase tolerance to pain. Additionally, researchers in Japan have found that laughter lowered blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes by altering gene expression. Even more exciting are the findings on the cardiovascular benefits of mirthful laughter. In a recent study by researchers at the University of Maryland, researchers found that endorphins released by the brain in response to laughter cause the production of nitric oxide (NO), which then triggers a number of cardio-protective signaling processes responsible for not only vasodilation but also for reducing platelet aggregation and vascular inflammation. Laughter furthermore has been shown to have positive effects on the immune system. Professor Lee Berk from Loma Linda University reported that laughter increased the activity of several critical antibodies and natural killer cells, which are essential in anti-tumor defense. These studies represent only a small subset of the scientific literature attesting to the positive benefits of laughter. So laugh on, Yale!
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