Humor and Laughter May Influence Health IV. Humor and Immune Function

Humor and Laughter May Influence Health [Part] IV. Humor and Immune Function

The effect of mirthful laughter on stress and natural killer cell activity.

CONTEXT A recent survey of rural Midwestern cancer patients revealed that humor was one of the most frequently used complementary therapies. Psychoneuroimmunology research suggests that, in addition to its established psychological benefits, humor may have physiological effects on immune functioning. OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of laughter on self-reported stress and natural killer cell...

A chuckle a day keeps the doctor away: therapeutic humor and laughter.

There are several beneficial efforts attributed to humor and laughter, including improved immune function, increased pain tolerance, and decreased stress response. Humor therapy, laughter therapy, laughter meditation,and laughter clubs all have unique implications as group programs and as self-management techniques. For practitioners to implement credible programs and effectively teach self-man...

Humor: an antidote for stress.

Humor and laughter can be effective self-care tools to cope with stress. An ability to find humor gives us a sense of perspective on our problems. Laughter provides a physical release for accumulated tension. The article reviews research on the effect of humor and laughter on our immune function and resilience to stress. Resources for finding humor are included.

Humor and Laughter May Influence Health: [Part] III. Laughter and Health Outcomes

This is part three of a four-part series reviewing the evidence on how humor influences physiological and psychological well-being. The first article included basic background information, definitions and a review of the theoretical underpinnings for this area of research. The second article discussed use of humor as a complementary therapy within various clinical samples, as well as evidence c...