Humor perception involves the whole brain and serves to integrate and balance activity in both hemispheres. Derks, at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, has shown that there is a unique pattern of brain wave activity during the perception of humor. EEG’s were recorded on subjects while they were presented with humorous material.

Laughter truly is the best medicine!

During the setup to the joke, the cortex’s left hemisphere began its analytical function of processing words. Shortly afterward, most of the brain activity moved to the frontal lobe which is the center of emotionality. Moments later the right hemisphere’s synthesis capabilities joined with the left’s processing to find the pattern — to ‘get the joke’. A few milliseconds later, before the subject had enough time to laugh, the increased brain wave activity spread to the sensory processing areas of the brain, the occipital lobe. The increased fluctuations in delta waves reached a crescendo of activity and crested as the brain ‘got’ the joke and the external expression of laughter began. Derks’ findings shows that humor pulls the various parts of the brain together rather than activating a component in only one areaYour sense of humor provides a powerful antidote to immuno-suppressive effects of stress in two ways, through:

1. Direct effects of humor and laughter upon the immune system,
2. Indirect effects resulting from humor’s ability to help you cope on the tough days.

The simple truth is that happy people generally don’t get sick.

Bernie Siegel, M.D.

Click here to get a laugh.

The man who laughed himself to health.

Norman Cousins - (1915 to 1990), longtime editor of the Saturday Review, global peacemaker, receiver of hundreds of awards including the UN Peace Medal and nearly fifty honorary doctorate degrees, overcame a life threatening disease and a massive coronary, each time using his own nutritional and emotional support protocol.

Cousin’s seminal book ”Anatomy of an Illness” details his healing journey overcoming ankylosing spondylitis (a degenerative disease causing the breakdown of collagen). Given up to die within a few months in 1965, almost completely paralyzed, Cousins checked out of the hospital, moved into a hotel room and began taking extremely high doses of vitamin C while exposing himself to a continuous stream of humorous films and similar ”laughing matter”. His condition steadily improved and Cousins regained the use of his limbs until he was able to return to his full-time job at the Saturday Review.

Because it’s a form of self medication.
Because WE CAN … laughter is a flat out CHOICE.
Because it energizes our mind to be creative.
Because it alters the brain neuron chemistry.
Because it increases the hormones that make us feel good – such as ……dopamine and Serotonin.
Because it’s convenient.
Because it’s safe.
Because it’s easy to access.
Because there’s no cost.
Because it’s fat free.
Because it burns calories.
Because there’s no cholesterol.
Because you need no elaborate equipment.
Because it can be used anywhere for any reason, almost.
Because there are few, if any, side effects
Because it’s healing to the brain and body.

Dr. Leroy Berk who researches the benefits of laughter…..from California USA……..says…………………..

“Laughter is like aerobic exercise…….
20 seconds of aerobic laughter gives the body a work-out equivalent to 3 minutes. of hard rowing in terms of giving the heart a work-out”

LAUGHTER is a bit like changing a babies nappy.

“It may not be permanent

But

It sure makes things a whole lot better for a while”

Some more awesome stories of the transformational power of laughter.

I think laughter ought to be part of every medical prescription.

Dr. Paul M. Fleiss – CALIFORNIA.

My friends Mum and Dad were living in an Aged Home at Noosa. They became very depressed as their health deteriorated and so I decided to go to the Age Home and cheer them up with my laughter techniques. I took along my bag of bright mixed colored tutus. The residents put on a tutu (the oldest being 95 yrs) and their eyes lit up with excitement. Dress up has always been good fun. Everyone, including the nursing staff, all joined in with the fun and laughter. Even the men put on tutu’s which really got them all laughing. When the laughter stated…..it became so contagious that everyone came ‘out of the wood work’ to gravitate towards the sounds of laughter. Everyone had wonderful fun, staff included. Les died two weeks later and when they had the wake I was asked to bring along my tutu’s to celebrate her Dad’s life. Everyone celebrated what a great life Les had and rejoiced TO THE CELEBRATION AND APPRECIATION OF LIFE.

Susan Brown – Noosa – Qld. - AUSTRALIA

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This is a few stories from people about how laughter has helped in their lives. You can visit the founder of laughter yoga, Dr Kataria’s website at - www.laughteryoga.org

I had a major surgery for cancer of the ovaries in Year 2001 and my husband also died in 2002. I wqs very depressed and lost interest in life. Never went out to meet people. I joined Laughter Club in Koln, Germany and it has completely changed my life. I met beautiful people who supported me in the laughter club, made me friends. We have a weekly laughter session in the laughter club but I do laughter exercises on my own every morning without fail.

Thank you Dr. Kataria for introducing laughter yoga.

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Laughter has changed me.

Hello, my name is Dale, I am 16. I live on The Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia  and I have something I’d like to share with every one and that is going to stay in my mind for ever. Continue Reading »

 MEDIA RELEASE
Att : Chief-of-Staff/News Editors

LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE

The old adage about laughter being the best medicine has proven true for a group of Sunshine Coast TAFE students who have been using laughter therapy as part of the Making a Difference Program (MAD).

MAD is designed to help students with learning and behavioural problems, re-engage with the education system and also encourages them to establish clear pathways for the future. Continue Reading »

We don’t stop playing cause we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine – Proverbs.

A day without laughter is a day wasted – Charlie Chaplin.

If I have caused just one person to wipe away a tear of laughter, that’s my reward – Victor Borge.

The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is L A U G H T E R - Mark Twain.

You can turn painful situations around through……….. L A U G H T E R . If you find humor in anything, you can survive it – Bill Cosby.

There are some things so serious you have to laugh at them – Niels Bohr.

L A U G H T E R is the shortest distance between two people – Victor Borge.