What Makes Us Laugh?

The History of Laughter and Science Behind Its Medicinal Effects

- Kimberly Blaker

Whether you guffaw, chuckle, chortle, cackle, roar, howl, or giggle, the ability to laugh is shared by all people around the world. Humans even share this ability with apes and other primates! Charles Darwin and many other researchers have recorded observations of laughing in various primate species during play and especially when being tickled. These findings suggest the ability to laugh goes back millions of years to a shared ancestor. Tickling may not be what makes you laugh – but everyone has something that tickles their funny bone. Although the jokes people tell have shifted and developed throughout history, laughter's positive benefits are unaltered.

How do laughter and humor affect our health?

Laughter may really be the best medicine. Scientific research has backed up the positive effects a good laugh can have on your physical, mental, and emotional health. Laughing is so beneficial to health that laughter therapy has even become an alternative approach to treating depression, stress, and other mood disorders. Evidence from numerous studies finds laughter to be an effective method in cognitive-behavioral therapy because of its effects.

Gelotology is the term used to describe the study of laughter. This field was developed in the late 1960s and examines the physiological and psychological effects of humor. One of the founders was William F. Fry, who would watch comedic movies while drawing blood samples. The results showed that laughter increased the activity of immune system cells.