January 2024
From Chuckles to Healing: 2023’s Comprehensive Guide to Laughter Studies
In an era marked by fast change and many challenges, understanding how to care for our well-being and that of those around us is more important than ever. This article brings together 23 insightful studies from 2023, each illuminating the healing power of laughter.
Page Index:
The Healing Power of Laughter
These studies traverse diverse demographics, including the elderly, cancer patients, nurses, and students, offering a window into how laughter not only uplifts but also provides tangible health benefits. I’ve organized them into three distinct sections —by publication month, age group, and area of health impact— to give you a richer understanding.
As you delve into these insightful studies, remember that each one represents a step forward in understanding how laughter (still a vastly untapped science) can be a key element in enhancing our overall well-being. For those interested in exploring this further, I highly recommend our free online course, “Laughter Leadership: Master Facilitating Laughter Wellness Classes” and upcoming Laughter Wellness events. These are a great resource for heart-centered and wellness-conscious professionals who want to elevate their offerings and make a positive difference in the lives of their clients and communities.
2023 Laughter Studies Sorted by Month
December 2023
- “Effectiveness of Laughter Therapy on Reducing Depression Levels in the Elderly” by Primasari et al., 2023-12-23. Found laughter therapy significantly reduced depression levels in the elderly, enhancing their mental health and overall well-being. Primasari et al., 2023.
November 2023
- “General Studies in Turkey on Laughter Therapy/Yoga and Their Effectiveness” by Özkan Uğuz, 2023-11-21. This comprehensive review conducted in Turkey encompasses various studies on laughter therapy and yoga, demonstrating their effectiveness in reducing pain, depression, fatigue, mental symptoms, stress, and anxiety. Additionally, it highlights the benefits of these therapies in enhancing psychological well-being, sleep quality, general health status, and quality of life. Uğuz, 2023.
- “Laughter Yoga for Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea in Cancer Patients” by Mohammad Namazinia et al., 2023-11-01. Demonstrated laughter yoga’s effectiveness in significantly reducing nausea experienced by chemotherapy patients. Namazinia et al., 2023.
October 2023
- “Effects of Laughter Therapy on Improving Negative Emotions Associated with Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” by Hongyu Shi et al., 2023-10-31. Indicated that laughter therapy effectively reduces anxiety, stress, pain, fatigue, and depression in cancer patients. Shi et al., 2023.
- “Distance Online Laughter Yoga (DOLY) Intervention on Work Depression” by Harish Rawat et al., 2023-10-14. Found DOLY to be effective in significantly reducing work depression symptoms among remote corporate employees. Rawat et al., 2023.
September 2023
- “Effectiveness of Laughter Therapy on Level of Stress Among Elderly People Residing in Selected Old Age Home” by Swati Shende et al., 2023-09-15. Showed a substantial reduction in stress levels among elderly residents of an old age home following laughter therapy sessions. Shende et al., 2023.
August 2023
- “Effectiveness of Laughter Therapy on Reducing Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety in the Elderly” by Putri Freanti et al., 2023-08-30. Demonstrated a positive impact in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms, enhancing quality of life for the elderly. Freanti et al., 2023.
- “Effects of Laughter Therapy on Perceived Stress and Quality of Life in Persons with Schizophrenia” by Ayşe Gül Yavaş Ayhan and Fatma Özlem Öztürk, 2023-08-29. This mixed-method pilot study found that laughter therapy increased the quality of life for people with schizophrenia, but did not significantly affect perceived stress levels. Ayhan & Öztürk, 2023.
July 2023
- “A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Distance Laughter Therapy for Mothers’ Level of Depression, Anxiety, and Parental Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic” by Yejung Ko and Sihyun Park, 2023-07-14. Established that distance laughter therapy effectively reduces depression, anxiety, and parental stress among mothers during the pandemic. Ko & Park, 2023.
- “Laughter Yoga on Sleep Quality in Individuals with Fecal Ostomies” by Deniz Harputlu et al., 2023-07-01. Observed a positive effect on sleep quality in individuals with fecal ostomies through laughter yoga sessions. Harputlu et al., 2023.
June 2023
- “Laughter Therapy’s Role in Improving the Quality of Life for the Elderly” by Putri Freanti et al., 2023-06-30. Five articles were reviewed in this study, which concluded that laughter therapy has a positive impact on the quality of life of the elderly, particularly in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. Putri Freanti et al., 2023.
- “Effect Of Laughter Therapy On Stress In The Elderly” by Ayu deka wati et al., 2023-06-27. Reported a significant reduction in stress among the elderly following laughter therapy.
- “Effectiveness of Laughter Therapy on Reducing Depression Levels in the Elderly” by Primasari, M. Rahmawati, Suhari, Akhmad Fajrul Rizqi, 2023-06-23. A literature review that included 10 studies focusing on the effectiveness of laughter therapy in reducing depression levels among the elderly. Primasari et al., 2023.
- “Laughter Yoga Effects on Health-Related Quality of Life in Cancer Patients” by Mohammad Namazinia et al., 2023-06-12. A randomized clinical trial that examined the impact of laughter yoga on emotional and physical functioning, role functioning, fatigue, and pain in cancer patients. Revealed significant improvements in emotional and physical functioning, role functioning, fatigue, and pain in cancer patients through laughter yoga. Namazinia et al., 2023.
May 2023
- “Laughter Yoga Therapy: A Holistic Approach for Resilience and Recovery of COVID-19 Infected Clients” by Melliza-Descallar and Prado, May 2023. Highlighted laughter yoga therapy as an effective holistic approach for enhancing resilience and aiding recovery in COVID-19-infected clients. Melliza-Descallar & Prado, 2023.
April 2023
- “Evaluation of The Effect of Laughter Yoga Applied To Nursing 1st Grade Students Before The Clinical Practice Exam on Exam Anxiety” by İlknur Atasever et al., 2023-04-13. Found that laughter yoga sessions before a clinical practice exam were beneficial, leading to reduced anxiety, and stress, and improved self-confidence among the students. The study emphasized the potential of laughter yoga as a supportive tool for academic performance and well-being in stressful academic settings. Atasever et al., 2023.
- “Laughter Yoga’s Effect on Nurses’ Resilience and Sleep Quality During COVID-19” by A. Sis Çelik & S. Yarali, 2023-04-07. Demonstrated substantial improvements in resilience and sleep quality among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Çelik & Yarali, 2023.
March 2023
- “Laughter Yoga for Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes” by Mayumi Hirosaki et al., 2023-03-31. Showed significant improvements in glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes through a 12-week laughter yoga program. Hirosaki et al., 2023.
- “Laughter Yoga and Individual and Peer Happiness Among Cancer Patients” by Yesiana Dwi Wahyu Werdani, 2023-03-28. Identified laughter yoga as a method for enhancing individual happiness among cancer patients during pandemic therapy sessions. Werdani, 2023.
February 2023
- “The Effect of Laughter Therapy Base on The Rate of Depression in Elderly at Pesanggrahan Majapahit Local Government, Mojokerto” by Imam Zaenuri et al., 2023-02-28. Discovered that laughter therapy significantly reduces depression rates in the elderly.
- “Laughter Yoga on Loneliness, Psychological Resilience, and Quality of Life in Older Adults Living in a Nursing Home: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial” by Fatma Özlem Öztürk et al., 2023-02-15. Observed significant reductions in loneliness and increases in psychological resilience and quality of life in older adults living in a nursing home following laughter yoga sessions. Öztürk et al., 2023.
January 2023
- “The Influence of Laughter Yoga on Pregnancy Symptoms, Mental Well-being, and Prenatal Attachment: A Randomized Controlled Study” by Safiye Ağapınar Şahin and Mine Bekar, 2023-01-10. Found laughter yoga is effective in reducing pregnancy symptoms and increasing mental well-being and prenatal attachment in pregnant women (Şahin & Bekar, 2023).
- “Laughter Yoga on Perceived Stress, Positive Psychological Capital, and Exercise Capacity in Lung Cancer Chemotherapy Patients” by Shuangrong Han et al., 2023-01-01. Demonstrated that laughter yoga significantly improves psychological capital and exercise capacity, and reduces perceived stress in lung cancer chemotherapy patients (Han et al., 2023).
2023 Laughter Studies Sorted by Age Group
Note: You will find a summary of each study’s findings and a link to its abstract in the section 2023 Laughter Studies Sorted by Month above. Use the date as a reference.
Seniors
- “Effectiveness of Laughter Therapy on Reducing Depression Levels in the Elderly” by Primasari et al., 2023-12-23.
- “Effectiveness of Laughter Therapy on Level of Stress Among Elderly People Residing in Selected Old Age Home” by Swati Shende et al., 2023-09-15.
- “Effectiveness of Laughter Therapy on Reducing Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety in the Elderly” by Putri Freanti et al., 2023-08-30.
- “Laughter Therapy’s Role in Improving the Quality of Life for the Elderly” by Putri Freanti et al., 2023-06-30.
- “Effect Of Laughter Therapy On Stress In The Elderly” by Ayu deka wati et al., 2023-06-27.
- “Effectiveness of Laughter Therapy on Reducing Depression Levels in the Elderly” by Primasari, M. Rahmawati, Suhari, Akhmad Fajrul Rizqi, 2023-06-23.
- “The Effect of Laughter Therapy Base on The Rate of Depression in Elderly at Pesanggrahan Majapahit Local Government, Mojokerto” by Imam Zaenuri et al., 2023-02-28.
- “Laughter Yoga on Loneliness, Psychological Resilience, and Quality of Life in Older Adults Living in a Nursing Home: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial” by Fatma Özlem Öztürk et al., 2023-02-15.
Adults (General)
- “General Studies in Turkey on Laughter Therapy/Yoga and Their Effectiveness” by Özkan Uğuz, 2023-11-21.
- “Effects of Laughter Therapy on Improving Negative Emotions Associated with Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” by Hongyu Shi et al., 2023-10-31.
- “Distance Online Laughter Yoga (DOLY) Intervention on Work Depression” by Harish Rawat et al., 2023-10-14.
- “Effects of Laughter Therapy on Perceived Stress and Quality of Life in Persons with Schizophrenia” by Ayşe Gül Yavaş Ayhan and Fatma Özlem Öztürk, 2023-08-29.
- “Laughter Yoga on Sleep Quality in Individuals with Fecal Ostomies” by Deniz Harputlu et al., 2023-07-01.
- “Laughter Yoga Effects on Health-Related Quality of Life in Cancer Patients” by Mohammad Namazinia et al., 2023-06-12.
- “Laughter Yoga’s Effect on Nurses’ Resilience and Sleep Quality During COVID-19” by A. Sis Çelik & S. Yarali, 2023-04-07.
- “Laughter Yoga for Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes” by Mayumi Hirosaki et al., 2023-03-31.
- “Laughter Yoga and Individual and Peer Happiness Among Cancer Patients” by Yesiana Dwi Wahyu Werdani, 2023-03-28.
- “Laughter Yoga on Perceived Stress, Positive Psychological Capital, and Exercise Capacity in Lung Cancer Chemotherapy Patients” by Shuangrong Han et al., 2023-01-01.
Young Adults/Students
- “Evaluation of The Effect of Laughter Yoga Applied To Nursing 1st Grade Students Before The Clinical Practice Exam on Exam Anxiety” by İlknur Atasever et al., 2023-04-13.
Specific Groups
Note: You will find a summary of each study’s findings and a link to its abstract in the section 2023 Laughter Studies Sorted by Month above. Use the date as a reference.
- “Laughter Yoga for Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea in Cancer Patients” by Mohammad Namazinia et al., 2023-11-01.
- “A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Distance Laughter Therapy for Mothers’ Level of Depression, Anxiety, and Parental Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic” by Yejung Ko and Sihyun Park, 2023-07-14.
- “Laughter Yoga Therapy: A Holistic Approach for Resilience and Recovery of COVID-19 Infected Clients” by Melliza-Descallar and Prado, May 2023.
- “The Influence of Laughter Yoga on Pregnancy Symptoms, Mental Well-being, and Prenatal Attachment: A Randomized Controlled Study” by Safiye Ağapınar Şahin and Mine Bekar, 2023-01-10.
2023 Laughter Studies Sorted by Area of Impact
Physical Health
- “Laughter Yoga for Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea in Cancer Patients” by Mohammad Namazinia et al., 2023-11-01.
- “Effects of Laughter Therapy on Improving Negative Emotions Associated with Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” by Hongyu Shi et al., 2023-10-31.
- “Laughter Yoga on Sleep Quality in Individuals with Fecal Ostomies” by Deniz Harputlu et al., 2023-07-01.
- “Laughter Yoga Effects on Health-Related Quality of Life in Cancer Patients” by Mohammad Namazinia et al., 2023-06-12.
- “Laughter Yoga’s Effect on Nurses’ Resilience and Sleep Quality During COVID-19” by A. Sis Çelik & S. Yarali, 2023-04-07.
- “Laughter Yoga for Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes” by Mayumi Hirosaki et al., 2023-03-31.
- “Laughter Yoga on Perceived Stress, Positive Psychological Capital, and Exercise Capacity in Lung Cancer Chemotherapy Patients” by Shuangrong Han et al., 2023-01-01.
- “The Influence of Laughter Yoga on Pregnancy Symptoms, Mental Well-being, and Prenatal Attachment: A Randomized Controlled Study” by Safiye Ağapınar Şahin and Mine Bekar, 2023-01-10.
Mental Health
- “Distance Online Laughter Yoga (DOLY) Intervention on Work Depression” by Harish Rawat et al., 2023-10-14.
- “Effects of Laughter Therapy on Perceived Stress and Quality of Life in Persons with Schizophrenia” by Ayşe Gül Yavaş Ayhan and Fatma Özlem Öztürk, 2023-08-29.
- “Laughter Yoga Therapy: A Holistic Approach for Resilience and Recovery of COVID-19 Infected Clients” by Melliza-Descallar and Prado, May 2023.
- “Evaluation of The Effect of Laughter Yoga Applied To Nursing 1st Grade Students Before The Clinical Practice Exam on Exam Anxiety” by İlknur Atasever et al., 2023-04-13.
- “Laughter Yoga and Individual and Peer Happiness Among Cancer Patients” by Yesiana Dwi Wahyu Werdani, 2023-03-28.
Emotional Health
- “Effectiveness of Laughter Therapy on Reducing Depression Levels in the Elderly” by Primasari et al., 2023-12-23.
- “General Studies in Turkey on Laughter Therapy/Yoga and Their Effectiveness” by Özkan Uğuz, 2023-11-21.
- “A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Distance Laughter Therapy for Mothers’ Level of Depression, Anxiety, and Parental Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic” by Yejung Ko and Sihyun Park, 2023-07-14.
- “Effectiveness of Laughter Therapy on Level of Stress Among Elderly People Residing in Selected Old Age Home” by Swati Shende et al., 2023-09-15.
- “Effectiveness of Laughter Therapy on Reducing Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety in the Elderly” by Putri Freanti et al., 2023-08-30.
- “Laughter Therapy’s Role in Improving the Quality of Life for the Elderly” by Putri Freanti et al., 2023-06-30.
- “Effect Of Laughter Therapy On Stress In The Elderly” by Ayu deka wati et al., 2023-06-27.
- “Effectiveness of Laughter Therapy on Reducing Depression Levels in the Elderly” by Primasari, M. Rahmawati, Suhari, Akhmad Fajrul Rizqi, 2023-06-23.
- “The Effect of Laughter Therapy Base on The Rate of Depression in Elderly at Pesanggrahan Majapahit Local Government, Mojokerto” by Imam Zaenuri et al., 2023-02-28.
- “Laughter Yoga on Loneliness, Psychological Resilience, and Quality of Life in Older Adults Living in a Nursing Home: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial” by Fatma Özlem Öztürk et al., 2023-02-15.
Embracing Laughter for Holistic Wellness: Are You Ready?
Adding to decades of empirical research, the studies from 2023 contribute to a growing body of evidence that laughter is an essential complementary tool for fostering health and well-being that’s noninvasive and non-pharmacological. These insights, drawn from various contexts and populations, affirm that laughter is more than mere amusement—it’s a formidable ally in fostering health and well-being throughout people’s lifespans. When applied effectively, it becomes an essential tool for healing, enriching not just our own lives but also those around us.
For those in the wellness field, or anyone keen to integrate these findings into their practices, our free “Laughter Leadership: Master Facilitating Laughter Wellness Classes” course, alongside our upcoming Laughter Wellness events, provide an excellent opportunity. These resources are crafted to arm you with the necessary knowledge and skills to leverage the power of laughter, enabling you to make a significant, positive impact on the health and happiness of those you serve.
In conclusion, let’s embrace the broader perspective that laughter has a lot more to offer than being a simple escape from daily stresses; We now know how to use it as a transformative tool and a cornerstone of holistic wellness, harnessing it as a force for positive change that enriches our personal and collective well-being.
Are you ready?
April 2018
500 Most Popular Positive Psychology Pieces
There are many free online resources available that are worth reading on the topic of Positive Psychology. Here is a database containing 500 of the most popular webpages, writings, articles and pieces written on this topic: PDF document (30 pages)
Indian couple caught in bitter divorce battle sent for laughter yoga training
MUMBAI: In a unique order by a family court in Pune, a warring couple was recently sent for laughter yoga therapy to help resolve what marriage counseling and mediation failed to do. Citing research on how laughter alleviates stress and increases well-being and helps focus on solutions and achieve more productive outcomes to problems, the court said they could be motivated to deal with their matrimonial issues peacefully and pragmatically through such laughter training. Read more at https://goo.gl/Zzcce5
More than one-third of graduate students report being depressed
This recent report, based on the responses of 2,279 students in 26 nations, found that more than 40% of respondents had anxiety scores in the moderate to severe range, and that nearly 40% showed signs of moderate to severe depression. Laughter Wellness to the rescue! See https://goo.gl/ErtG9t
How to Hardwire Resilience into Your Brain
This is a very interesting article by Rick and Forrest Hanson about what they call the HEAL system: Have a beneficial experience, Enrich it, Absorb it, Link it. Personally I find that this is a very elegant way to structure any relaxation experience after an enriching activity class (e.g., a Laughter Wellness session!) See https://goo.gl/mcQgA2
March 2018
Laughter, Exercise and Dialysis
Here is the video of a laughter presentation Prof. Paul Bennett and myself gave last year at a national Dialysis conference in Washington DC. Exercise and Dialysis: What Can Busy Nephrology Nurses Do? This session reviews barriers to exercise in the kidney disease patient population and provides strategies for nurses to encourage and incorporate intradialytic exercise in patient care. See https://library.annanurse.org/anna/sessions/4619/view
AARP: Laughter Can Be as Good as Exercise for the Brain
From AARP (38+ million members in the USA in the 55+ age group): Laughter Can Be as Good as Exercise for the Brain. “Laughing is a simple thing that anyone can do,” says Gulshan Sethi, a cardiothoracic surgeon at the Tucson Medical Center. “You don’t have to take any medicine. There are no adverse side effects. You have nothing to lose.” See https://goo.gl/vNu1hg
Therapeutic Benefits of Laughter in Mental Health: A Theoretical Review
From Sahmyook University in South Korea: Therapeutic Benefits of Laughter in Mental Health: A Theoretical Review. Conclusion: laughter therapy is effective and scientifically supported as a single or adjuvant therapy for mental health issues. See https://goo.gl/k24zKv
Top 5 Regrets Of The Dying
People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. Here are common regrets people in palliative care with weeks to live have or anything they would do differently:
- I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
- I wish I didn’t work so hard.
- I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
- I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
- I wish that I had let myself be happier.
Read more at https://goo.gl/Qe6DYT
November 2015
2015 All America Laughter Conference Notes
The 2015 All America Laughter Conference took place in Portland, Oregon, on 10/22-25.
Close to 100 participants were in attendance, coming from all 4 corners of North America and as far as Israel, Argentina and Ecuador.
You will find the notes taken by our two volunteer note takers Daniella Mostow and Judy Mikeska here (clicking on the button below will open a google site on a new tab):
Continuing Laughter Education: October 2015
General Education For Laughter Professionals
- eBook: A Playful Path: This is the latest in a series of books and articles that Bernie De Koven has written thus far to share his thoughts and (especially) his feelings about one of the most important and yet least understood and appreciated elements in human experience: play.
- Book summary: A whole new mind (by Daniel Pink)
- eBook: Man’s Search For Meaning (by Viktor Frankl)
- Cone of learning (by Edgar Dale)
- Happiness brings success, not the opposite
- Should you keep your goals to yourself? Derek Sivers makes a compelling case against going public with your goals in his short talk at the 2010 Ted Conference.
- People don’t buy what you do but why you do it. Do you know your Why? The purpose, cause, or belief that inspires you to do what you do.
- Mindfulness has huge health potential
- The pygmalion effect and the power of positive expectations
- Choir singing improves health, happiness – and is the perfect icebreaker
- And then she fell… This blog is about an experience I recently had where, for the first time in my 11 years full time laughter career, 911 had to be called, morphine administered, and one of my laughter club participant sent to hospital.
In the news
- Soundtrack: Laughing with an angel This 14 yo child cannot speak; no sight in the left eye, very little in the right nor can she stand, sit or walk, but she expresses pleasure with laughter, giggling and smiling. This is pure JOY in the moment. (For the record: Laughter is the easiest language because it does not require the use of the tongue, lips or palate.)
- Dance and laugh: Britain’s museums are being called upon to become more imaginative.
- Babies shown to have an ulterior motive when smiling.
- Almost dies in car accident, loses limbs, uses laughter yoga to recover from trauma
- New documentary: understanding the remarkable link between your mind, body and health.
Just for fun
Miscellaneous Blogs
- Google’s algorithm for happiness. Step one: “Calm your mind”. Step two: “Log moments of joy”. Step three: “Wish other people to be happy”
- Hygge: A heart-warming lesson from Denmark (on the importance of having a relaxed, cosy time with friends and family)
- Three Diabetes Therapies: Hugs, Smiles, and Laughter
- 4 Rituals That Will Make You Happy, According to Neuroscience: Ask a question (What am I grateful for?), label emotions, make decisions and give hugs
- An attitude of gratitude. Gratitude, like faith, is a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it grows, and the more power you have to use it on your behalf.
- Sophie Scott on the importance of laughter. Social laughter is very different to spontaneous laughter in that it’s voluntary, and often takes place in conversational speech. It’s a communicative act — and it plays a very useful role in social interaction
- How to not be hard on yourself
- Beyond McMindfulness
- On Epigenetics and why laughing now on a regular basis could change the lives of your unborn children.
- 3 Tips for Maximizing Your Happiness at Work. (Their Crisis Is Not Your Emergency, Name Your Deal Breakers, Make a Social Contract.)
Videos
- Using Laughter To Promote Happiness To Promote Coca Cola. An ad agency created a local market stunt in Antwerp metro for the Belgian “choose happiness” campaign of The Coca-Cola Company.
October 2015
Japanese Study Says Laughter Therapy Efficient Low-Cost Medical Treatment
A Japanese research study showed that laughter therapy is an efficient low-cost medical treatment that cuts health costs. Geneticist Kazuo Murakami considers that laughter is a stimulant, which can trigger energy inside a person’s DNA potentially helping cure disease. “Laughing therapy has no side-effect, meaning it is an epoch-making treatment for clinical medicine,” he said. “If we prove people can switch genes on and off by an emotion like laughter, it may be the finding of the century which should be worth the Nobel Prize or even go beyond that.”
His research is published in the January 2006 edition of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, a US academic journal. The ministry of economy, trade and industry believes that laughter therapy could be used as preventive medical care. With the ministry’s financial support, Osaka Sangyo University in western Japan formed a joint venture with researchers, firms and doctors in 2004 to provide elderly people with a complete medical care program combining physical training and laughter therapy.
According to project officials, the 92 participants polled said their combined annual medicare costs fell 23 per cent after they joined the program.
Kazuo Murakami is a world-class geneticist who developed a sense of wonder as he learned more about the machinery of the Universe. It is great to know that such a person believes that biology is not destiny.
Source: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/01/12/1136956307785.html
Related link: On Epigenetics and why laughing now on a regular basis could change the lives of your unborn children
Continuing Laughter Education: September 2015
General Education For Laughter Professionals
- Laughter in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Times.
- The Laughing Buddha
- Watch: Here’s what happens to your brain when you laugh
- The Seven Levels of Keynote Speakers
- Understanding the buyer’s journey.
- Phobias Part 1, Gelotophobia – The Fear of Laughter
- The word “Laughter” in Old English was “Hleahtor”
In the news
- Cohasset teachers start school year with laughter
- Laughing nuns… (beautiful pictures!)
Just for fun
Miscellaneous Blogs
- At the World’s First Empathy Museum, Visitors Walk a Mile in Another Person’s Shoes—Literally
- From WikiHow: How to laugh
- Emotional intelligence: why managers should show a softer side
- The Health Benefits of Going Outside
- How to communicate like a Buddhist — mindfully and without judgment
- Laughter each day makes marriage a happy union
- Soul Searching Through the Myers-Briggs Test
- 4 Rituals That Will Make You Happy, According to Neuroscience
- 5 Ways To Experience More Joy And Laughter Everyday
- 6 Reasons to Date the Funny Girl
- How Not to Be a Slave to Your Brain: Mindfulness for Mental Health
Videos
September 2015
Continuing Laughter Education: August 2015
General Education For Laughter Professionals
In the news
- Iraqi TV comedian Ahmad Al Basheer: ‘Laughter is the best way to unify people the world over’
- Laughter helps politicians get their points across.
- Stress hormone linked to breast cancer
- Children in England ‘among unhappiest in world’
- A study shows that giggling in tandem is a good indicator a relationship’s going to last.
- New documentary surveys the funny world of medical clowns
Just for fun
- The Okeh Laughing Record was released in 1922 when the recording industry was still in its infancy. (It’s a basic trumpet tune interrupted by laughter) It was an immediate hit. It sold hundreds of thousands of copies and stayed in print for three decades.
- Colors and their meaning.
- Exercise to Energize Your Laughing Muscles
Miscellaneous Blogs
- Why happy employees are 12% more productive
- 8 Things Every Person Should Do Before 8 A.M.
- 6 Things to Do Every Day to Improve Your Life
- Empathy: the Most Important Thing
- 6 Habits Of Couples Who Laugh A Lot, Because Laughter Really Is The Best Medicine
- 4 Dark Sides To The Pursuit of Happiness
- 100 Wonderful Ways To Live To 100
- 10 Steps to a Happier Life, Backed By Research
- 22 Habits That Will Make Your Life a Little More Peaceful Each Day
- Negative Self-Talk: 9 Ways To Silence Your Inner Critic.
- A Psychiatrist Who Survived The Holocaust Explains Why Meaningfulness Matters More Than Happiness
- Laughter is food for the soul
- How Laughter Yoga can reduce stress
- Awe: the powerful emotion with strange and beautiful effects
- 25 Powerful Reasons to Eat Bananas
- The 5 Skills That Will Increase Your Happiness.
- Why Being Able To Laugh At Yourself Is Crucial To A Happy Life
Videos
August 2015
Continuing Laughter Education: July 2015
General Education For Laughter Professionals
- The no-complaints challenge
- Two minute daily habits will make you happier immediately
- Break the Ice with Brief Encounters.
- Debriefing method: Rounds. The reviewer starts sentences which are finished by each person in turn.
- Alba Emoting.
- The Power of the Pygmalion Effect: Teachers Expectations Strongly Predict College Completion. (Equally interesting is this article.)
- How animals sound when they laugh.
- Hospital tactic to market themselves to seniors: Get them through the door and give them a pleasant experience.
- Conquering self-criticism with compassion
- 9 Comedy Rules To Follow For A Lasting Relationship, Because Love And Laughter Go Hand in Hand.
- What to do when your “it” hits the fan (Face it. Feel it. Don’t flinch. Embrace it.)
- 3 Simple Things That Will Make You 10% Happier.
- How to conquer fear, backed by research.
- Being able to enjoy happiness doesn’t require that we have zero suffering. In fact, the art of happiness is also the art of suffering well. 5 Practices For Nurturing Happiness, By Thich Nhat Hanh
- On the importance of being able to quit.
In the news
- Private school head takes on Pharrell Williams.
- How an asthma sufferer discovered that laughter really is the best medicine. Her website is http://www.cobwebbeshaker.co.uk
- Laughter Wellness in Greece.
- Hospitals and care centers make room for laughter programs.
- Laughter therapy could lead to reduced medication levels in aged care facilities.
- Laughing away the ‘Big C’ (cancer) blues.
- Studying when babies laugh might be a great way of gaining insight into how they understand the world.
Just for fun
- Stocking Face Tug A War.
- What are your favorite things to do with friends that are cheap, easy and instantly fun?
- This Phone Only Works If You Smile
- Poem: The dilemma
- All episodes of “Whose Line Is It Anyway”
- Poem: Worst Day Ever?
- Kids secretly control a fitness class.
- The Okeh Laughing Record was released in 1922 when the recording industry was still in its infancy. (It’s a basic trumpet tune interrupted by laughter) It was an immediate hit. It sold hundreds of thousands of copies and stayed in print for three decades.
Videos
July 2015
Continuing Laughter Education: June 2015
General Education For Laughter Professionals
- Working with Alzheimer: Use storytelling techniques.
- Is happiness the new ladder to success? What if instead of trusting our success to make us happy, we started trusting our happiness to make us successful?
- Five things you can do to be happier right now. (1) Listening to a favorite piece of music. (2) Spending five more minutes with someone you like. (3) Going outdoors. (4) Helping someone else. (5) Having a new experience.
- The fun theory: how all can achieve peak performance the fun way through mutual empowerment.
- The case for bowling alone: Going solo can bring happiness.
- Social intelligence: Even among complete strangers, a moment of playfulness, even outright silliness, forms an instant resonance.
- Importance of the vagus nerve, and how it impacts compassion (stimulated when you laugh).
- Why laughter is good for caregivers.
- The Wu Wei Approach to Facilitating.
- Laughter Helps Toddlers Learn Better.
- The Father of Positive Psychology and His Two Theories of Happiness.
- Focusing only on sensory delights leaves us perpetually dissatisfied, because such pleasures are short-lived.
- Why The Funniest People Are Often The Saddest
In the news
Just for fun
- We are greatly influenced by colors. See http://www.colorquiz.com/research1.php for a most interesting test: you must select ALL the proposed colors twice, from the ones you like the most to the ones you like the least. Do it and you’ll be impressed!
- US warship orders lighthouse to move, or else.
- 1 minute to win it: 40 games – great for any party, special event, or occasion; and perfect for adults and kids.
- Simple things to do to foster joy.
- The laughing song.
Videos
- Dozens of online laugh-along laughter sessions.
- Professor Dolan describes how being happier means allocating attention more efficiently; towards those things that bring us pleasure and purpose and away from those that generate pain and pointlessness. Video. Text.
- An interesting presentation on laughter by Albert Neremberg.
- Want to be happy? Slow down. A short talk by Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard.
- On why counting intangibles is important. (Related: How Bhutan counts its GNH (Gross National Happiness.)
June 2015
Continuing Laughter Education: May 2015
General Education For Laughter Professionals
- 12 Qualities Of Happiness.
- Hong Kong laughter professionals are on a roll!
- The happy movie
- 100 Billion Dollars Was Spent On Cancer Drugs Last Year Alone.
- Dr. Escudero has been operating on people since the early 70s without anesthesia (over 8000 cases!) His book “Healing by thinking” that explains how he does it is available for free here.
- About love
- The power of positive tinkering
- What is Laughter Yoga?
- How to Make Affirmations Work for YOU – Faster EFT
- Parallels between Improv Comedy and Therapy. (The same could be said about various healing modalities, including Laughter Wellness, Laughter Yoga and more).
- Should doctors medicate people who laugh too much?
- On affirmations: Positive self-talk is more effective if we address ourselves by our first name.
- Difference between half-voiced and voiced laughter, and why Autistic children laugh more from the heart.
- How to change your frequency to change your reality.
- On the value of laughter in the workplace.
- Whole brain teaching: a new approach for the classroom (great if you work with kids.)
- 5 weird tips for great meetings.
In the news
- Babies smile in the womb.
- Laughter and silence are among our most reliable guides on this magical mystery tour called life.
- Simple Way To Make Kids Eat Healthier – Add a Smiley Face.
- Radio program: The value of laughter
- Does your smile give away YOUR nationality?
- Laughter and attitude:
- 5 People Who Laugh In The Face Of Their Disabilities
- How to Laugh at Your Worst Days
- Multiple Sclerosis: Why not laugh?
- Why We Laugh in the Brain Trauma Unit
- ‘Tumour humour and chemo emo’: Why a Canadian actor with terminal cancer plans to die laughing
- Making chemo fun – Operation ‘Choose Joy’
- Nepalese Children Participate In ‘Laughter Yoga’ To Help Relieve Trauma From The Earthquakes
- Laughter and healing:
- On clowns:
- The happiest jobs: gardeners, florists and hairdressers top the list
- Kansas State University Family Therapist Suggests Parents Relearn to Play.” Play encourages the mastery and development of the crucial C’s: courage, capable, connect, count.”
- Using Humor in Systematic Desensitization to Reduce Fear of Spiders.
- Smile if you want to make new friends
- Very good, very good, Yay! in 29 languages.
- Book review: The Happiness Industry: How Government and Big Business Sold us Well-Being by William Davies.
- Happier students tend to have higher GPAs.
- Redefining Success: The Power Happiness Has Over The Corporate Ladder
Just for fun
- Inspiration posters: http://www.laughteronlineuniversity.com/fun-downloads/ (create your own at http://behappy.me/generator)
- Using Only Jelly Beans, This Video Will Convince You To Live Life To The Fullest
- Watch this couple laugh as they ‘age’ by over 60 years
- 16 classic movies that keep us laughing
- The next best online improv show after “Whose line is it anyway”: Improv-A-Ganza.
- Universal Laughter Room: Laugh Online, Live, 24/7
- Ebook of happy quotes
- Laughter pulse: Go around the room and have each participant laugh in turn for a few second to describe how they are feeling at that moment.
- I wish you health and happiness (group exercise)
- Song: I am my sunshine
- How to Do The Hugging Meditation
- Collection of games that allow people to share a moment of almost magical playfulness.
- Classic Happy Songs To Make You Dance, Sing & Feel Good
Videos
May 2015
Continuing Laughter Education: April 2015
General Education For Laughter Professionals
- Educate yourself on lifestyle medicine. If you are a Laughter Pro, this is what you do.
- What are your values? Lasting happiness is only possible if your values find their full potential in your work.
- How to organize a New Games tournament.
- 50 sentences to compliment someone’s smile
- 10 Reasons Why We Need at Least 8 Hugs a Day.
- Laughter is the best medicine for autistic children.
- Born to laugh, we learn to cry.
- How to Laugh Naturally and Build Trust Quickly – Three simple ways to cultivate genuine laughter.
- Have you ever said something sad, depressing or frustrating and the other person has laughed?
- 25 suggestions on how to live a happy life.
- The Japanese Smile.
- Rather than ask “Hello, what’s going on?”, ask “Hello, what’s going well?”
- What is comedy for? (Learn more about the mechanisms of humor here.)
- The illness-wellness continum.
- Basics of copyright law.
In the news
Just for fun
- I’ve been playing with this idea for a while now and it is a lot of fun. Ask youtube for instrumental rap music and…rap free style! It’s a great mental workout.
- Inspiration posters (Create your own at http://behappy.me/generator.)
Videos
April 2015
Continuing Laughter Education: March 2015
General Education For Laughter Professionals
- Why Laughter Scares Depression, Anxiety, Activates Happy Feelings.
- The Brain Loves to Play, and Here’s Why!
- General advice about laughing with kids in an auditorium.
- Laughter As A Complementary Therapy For People with Parkinson’s (Part 1)
- Laughter As A Complementary Therapy For People with Parkinson’s (Part 2)
- Template “Today’s Laughter Menu“
- Six healing sounds.
- Such a typical humor-based advice on how to laugh more: Fake it. Be silly. No! Choose to laugh. Be playful. It’s a very different experience.
- The case agains silliness.
- How to Teach Laughter Yoga to Children
- Laughter In Jails And Prisons: Why And How It Works.
- (Where To) Laugh With Others For Free Daily, Weekly, Monthly In Laughter Clubs.
- Our community brainstormed on various possible titles for laughter presentations to church groups. Look for the entry on March 18th, 2015 on https://www.facebook.com/groups/louprozone/
- Stats are always good to have: According to the CDC 69% of Americans 20 years and over are overweight, including obesity (2011-12)…and 34.6% of all American men 20 years and over are obese.
- 3 Improv Exercises That Can Change the Way Your Team Works.
In the news
- Laughter in business: It’s jest therapy.
- The Bill Murray Technique: How To Improvise Through Anything.
- To Change People’s Minds, First Make Them Laugh.
- Here’s What Happened After 6 Couples Were Asked To Look Into Each Other’s Eyes For 4 Minutes.
- General information on stress management: “Just six minutes of reading is enough to reduce stress by 68%, and numerous studies have shown that reading keeps your brain functioning effectively as you age.”
- On the laughter spectrum: Can deaf comedy be funny for everyone?
- It’s time to start planning! Here is what we’re doing in Los Angeles for World Laughter Day 2015: http://www.worldlaughterday.com
- 2007 memories: Laughter Yoga on the Oprah Winfrey Show.
- Are women being held back by too much smiling?
- Laughter Yoga and affiliative humor
- St. Thomas More’s Prayer for Good Humor.
- Fire victims laugh off fears, woes. (Psychosocial intervention such as Laughter Therapy help normalize people’s lives. It’s part of the recovery and rehabilitation of people.)
- 10 ways to treat depression without antidepressants.
Just for fun
- Poem: Happiness Isnowhere.
- http://photofunia.com is a free website that allows you to create stunning photo effects.
- 40 ideas to experience childlike playfulness as adults.
- 10 ideas to blend the energy of laughter into your daily life.
Videos
- Laughter session with Indian military commandos.
- Laughter experiment with kids: Boosts creativity.
- Rethinking Positive Thinking (Gabriele Oettingen).
- Documentary on the Gerson therapy. (You may have to use the Chrome internet browser and and install this free extension to view this documentary as it is blocked for viewing in the USA. It works however if you trick your browser into believing you are in the UK.)
- On the science of happiness: A very happy brain.
- Finger multiplication laughter.
- Collection of laughs: young, old, and everything in-between.
- Breathing exercises are a powerful opportunity to move energy.
- The laughter shaking of Ratu Bagus.
March 2015
Continuing Laughter Education: February 2015
General Education For Laughter Professionals
- 8 kinds of fun
- A deck of fun
- 4 keys to fun (http://www.xeodesign.com/assets/images/4k2f.jpg)
- Passion manifesto (PDF download)
- 15 Fascinating Facts About Our Smiles, And More
- The Economics Of Workplace Laughter, Boosts Morale, Positivity, Productivity.
- Captivate your audience with these pitching techniques.
- Seven creative approaches to stress management.
- Social Benefits Of Laughter, Improves Cooperation, Communication, Romance.
- The healing sounds of laughter.
- Why Laughter Is Good For The Respiratory System, Opens Lungs, Ventilates Spirit.
In the news
- The laughing news.
- Funny Meetings Might Be More Productive Meetings
- Defeat Awkward Silences with Laughter.
- An epidemic of suicide sweeps through Budapest, and the city tries to stop it in an odd way: by creating a “Smile Club”, where people are taught to smile again. The initiative is covered in the 17 October 1937 issue of Sunday Times Perth: http://riowang.blogspot.cz/2014/09/the-city-of-smile.html
- Tip for more happiness: Don’t be so serious
- A third of Brits fail to smile before 10am. Here comes the smile-activated dispenser.
- What makes muslims laugh?
- Laughter shuts off bad feeling.
- Breathe Better: Doctors Try Using the Most Basic Medicine
- The Benefits of Bringing More Play into Your Work.
- How we used laughter to topple a dictator.
- Gateshead couple celebrating 68 years of marriage say their secret is laughter and dancing.
Just for fun
- Here is a nice week-end activity. http://eyebombing.com. You can buy package of hundreds of googly eyes inexpensively at http://goo.gl/mY21WM.
- Famous quotes by Vince Lombardi.
Videos
- 20 minutes demo Laughter Wellness session
- Understanding the vagus nerve
- Laughter Wellness Radio Presentation & Live Session
- The role of laughter in healing
- Daniel pink on anger management. (The impact of laughter is at the 3 minute mark.)
- Stuart Brown: Play is more than fun
- How the brain works
- Infectious laughter: 9 videos to see how long you can resist.
- The Samurai game
February 2015
Continuing Laughter Education: January 2015
General Education For Laughter Professionals
- How Laughter Helps Faith, Connects With Divine Essence.
- (How) Did The Buddha Laugh?
- Why Laughter Is Good For The Immune System, Opens Inner Cellular Pharmacy.
- Pound fit: Rock your body into shape.
- Infographic on the benefits of Laughter Wellness.
- Always Know What to Say with the “History/Philosophy/Metaphor” Rule.
- 5814 basic variations for every laughter exercise, 175,560 possibilities if you play a bit with it, zillions if you sit down and get creative.
- Good work morning ritual: Laugh with colleagues for a couple of minutes, because you can. How to stop procrastinating.
- People don’t just need therapeutic laughter, we almost have a duty to offer it in the community: About 80% of older adults have one chronic condition, and 50% have at least two.
In the news
- Waraiko: A gift of laughter to the Gods.
- 7 ways laughter and sex are connected.
- Blessed with MS.
- “Laughter activates the body’s natural relaxation response. It’s like internal jogging, providing a good massage to all internal organs while also toning abdominal muscles.” – Dr. Gulshan Sethi, Head of cardiothoracic surgery, Tucson Medical Center. http://goo.gl/Feq2d5.
- Want to Be Happy? Be Kind and Grateful.
- Give me a smile: Trying to laugh when your face won’t move.
Just for fun
- PDF poster: You Can Make A Difference.
- 22 Inspiring 3 Words Quotes And 21 More Great Email Laughter Signatures!
- Laughter quotes you can download.
- Classic computer games, for reference. I spent many hours on those a few decades ago: http://neave.com/games/
- Street games: playark.co.uk, athensplaython.org, playfulartsfestival.com
Videos
- Laughter experiences at the door of death.
- My mom’s cancer healed her. She died on my lap with a smile.
- 30 days of intent: Laughter Meditation.
- 1 minute promo for The Laughter Consultants.
- Exercising with music in laughter sessions.
- I/You/We Matter.
- The friendliest shark attack ever!
- Laughter group cheering
- Patch Adams on wellness an humor. (You may have to use the Chrome internet browser and install this free extension to view this video as it is blocked for viewing in the USA. It works however if you trick your browser into believing you are in the UK.)
May 2014
Laughter may be the best medicine for age-related memory loss
We are all familiar with the saying, “laughter is the best medicine.” And this motto may ring true when it comes to tackling age-related memory loss; a new study from Loma Linda University in California finds that humor may reduce brain damage caused by the “stress hormone” cortisol, which in turn, improves memory.
Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/276042.php
Everything we know about the science of laughter: http://www.laughteronlineuniversity.com/research/
March 2014
Why Laughter Is Good Prescription For Leg Ulcers
For five years, scientists at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom tested the supposedly latest, greatest medical marvel for healing leg ulcers — treatment with a high tech ultrasound wand. Only, it turns out, it does absolutely nothing to speed up the healing process of leg ulceration.
However, the researchers found out what did produce results: The key is common sense, cheap, easy-to-deliver care involving simply wearing support stockings, exercise, and a healthy diet along with a surprising additional “prescription” — laughter.
Yes, that’s no joke. The scientists found laughter actually produced physiological changes that help leg ulcers heal.
“The ‘healing energy’ of low-dose ultrasound can make a difference to some medical conditions but with venous leg ulcers, this is simply not the case,” Professor Andrea Nelson of the University of Leeds School of Healthcare said in a statement to the media. “The key to care with this group of patients is to stimulate blood flow back up the legs to the heart. The best way to do that is with compression bandages and support stockings — not ‘magic wands’ — coupled with advice on diet and exercise.”
“Believe it or not, having a really hearty chuckle can help too,” added Dr. Nelson, who headed the study. “This is because laughing gets the diaphragm moving and this plays a vital part in moving blood around the body.” (Read more.)
People with varicose veins or mobility problems (including the obese) are most at risk for venous leg ulcers because their “muscle pumps” in the feet and calves labor to drive blood up to the heart. These ulcers can be very painful as well as disfiguring, so they can significantly impact health and quality of life in a negative way. Unfortunately, a significant proportion of these sores take a year or longer to heal. And the older and larger ulcers are, the more difficult healing can become. That’s why scientists tried the high-tech ultrasound treatment to see if it would help.
Working with patients from across the UK and Ireland, the research team found that adding ultrasound to the standard care, including compression stockings, made no difference to the speed of healing or the chance of the ulcers coming back — all it did was add an extra large medical bill to the treatment.
Source: VenUS III, a randomised controlled trial of therapeutic ultrasound in the management of venous leg ulcers. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21375959.
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April 2007
Laughter Yoga On The Oprah Winfrey Show
It was the honor and privilege to organize and teach a Laughter Yoga session in Chicago for the Oprah Winfrey Show, at Oprah’s request in March 2007. Nothing came pre-cooked though. They asked me at two days’ notice to organize and lead a laughter session for Oprah’s make-up artist Reggie Wells in Chicago, some 2000 miles away. You just don’t say no to Oprah, so I made it happen.
Thank you to the Midtown Athletic Club for opening their doors to us, Doug Dvorak for his invaluable help and contacts in making this happen, and Jeffrey Briar for his participation.
Oprah wanted to see how Laughter Yoga would impact her “resident cynic” and make-up artist Reggie Wells.
This class was beyond successful. In Reggie’s own words:
“Thank you Mr Gendry! I walked into your laughter session very depressed. It was Easter week-end and I was very lonely. What you had me do did not just lift stress from my body, it lifted stress from my soul.”
This segment has been broadcasted worldwide so far on 4/11/2007, 8/22/2007 and 01/01/2009 (the Oprah Winfrey Show has over 49 millions viewers in the USA alone and broadcasts in 140 countries).
