Laughter Limits Pain

In Anatomy of an Illness As Perceived by the Patient (1979), American journalist Norman Cousins detailed his recovery plan after being diagnosed with a painful, life-threatening disease:

"I made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep."

His remarkable recovery was likely explained by a misdiagnosis, not the healing power of laughter. Yet his observation on the short-term beneficial effect of laughing was on-target. 

According to an article in today's NYTimes, evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar at Oxford has studied laughing and concluded:

• The physical act of laughing (i.e., the change in breathing, muscular contractions of the chest wall, the vocalizations) triggers chemical changes in the brain experienced as a pleasurable feeling.
• Relaxed, contagious laughter contributes to social bonding within a group.   

Subjects were exposed to pain plus (1) comedy videos that induced belly laughs, (2) neutral videos like documentaries, or (3) feel-good videos that did not trigger laughter. Only laughter increased subjects' pain resistence.

During the tumultuous month I was first diagnosed, I watched Candid Camera videos. I couldn't help but laugh at the skits. Each giggle made me feel more normal. And I couldn't cry when I was laughing -- a welcome relief.

Healthy Survivors know that laughter changes the chemistry of the brain in ways that bring pleasure, even if only for a moment. They take breaks from obtaining knowledge and nourishing hope to find things that trigger healing laughter.   

Comments

[Lori]

This is another reason that the top statement people with cancer want others to know is "I need to laugh. . .", according to the new survey I conducted of more than 600 survivors. Thanks for spreading the word about this.

And please, if you have any suggested resources to help people with cancer laugh, post them on my new webpage of laughter resources. http://lorihope.com/helpmelive/to-laugh/

Lori Hope

[Jonnie Hickman]

Last year for our "Light the Night" walk to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Societies mission to cure the world of blood my team and I hosted a comedy night with 3 comedy troupes. My idea was based on exactly what you have written here. The event was named..."Laughing Out Cancer."

[Jan Hasak]

Therapeutic merriment is what I call it. Or gelotology, the study of humor. Thanks for the reminder of this groundbreaking study.
Jan

[Ronni Gordon]

We're on the same page with this one. Wrote about it on my blog today. Yes, it sure feels good to laugh...laughter through pain, etc.

[coeurdalenechiropractor]

laughter is the best meds. lock yourself in a room and laugh it will do your body good. People need to smile. Great article, ty.

[Stu]

Laughter is one of the most amazing remedies available. I beleive there is so much we dont know about the healing properties we get from feeling good. To be honest its usually people carrying alot of pain and anger with them that end up getting awful diseases. Positivity is so important!