Laugh your way out of stress

What can be better to treat stress than having a good laugh?   Well even though being stressed may mean we don’t always feel like laughing, the use of Laughter Yoga could be just the ticket!

Most of us would agree that stress is one of the top dis-eases of modern living.  Yes our predecessors used to be stressed, and in fact stress is a great physiological response to danger that has kept our species on the planet.   After all our cavemen ancestors needed the impetus of stress to help them run away from danger – sabre toothed or not.  They also needed the stress of hunger to get them up and going to hunt or gather.

The issue these days?  Well it’s that our stress is more “sedentary”.  We are sitting at our computers stressing when our emails pour through at a rate of knots. We are stressing when our laptops run slow.  We stress whilst sitting at the wheels of our cars – at dangerous drivers, roadworks, trying to beat the clock.  And none of these stress situations are ‘broken’ by a rush of physical activity.

The stress response is purely a physiological response however, it is the release of adrenaline that creates a surge of cortisol (the stress hormone) into our muscles.  Ready for us to act on.   The issue becomes more and more dire with the additional surge of cortisol that is not depleted by physical exercise or immediately dealing with the stress in a physical way.

Fortunately, lots of studies have shown that laughter is a great way to beat stress. 

By seeking out positive experiences that make us laugh we can do a lot on our own to stay well

SAN DIEGO, CA – In 2006 researchers investigating the interaction between the brain, behavior, and the immune system found that simply anticipating a mirthful laughter experience boosted health-protecting hormones. Now, two years later, the same researchers have found that the anticipation of a positive humorous laughter experience also reduces potentially detrimental stress hormones. According to Dr. Lee Berk, the study team’s lead researcher of Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, “Our findings lead us to believe that by seeking out positive experiences that make us laugh we can do a lot with our physiology to stay well.”

In their earlier work the researchers found that the anticipation of “mirthful laughter” had surprising and significant effects. Two hormones – beta-endorphins (the family of chemicals that alleviates depression) and human growth hormone (HGH; which helps with immunity) – increased by 27 and 87 percent respectively when volunteers anticipated watching a humorous video. There was no such increase among the control group who did not anticipate watching the humor film.

Using a similar protocol, the current research found that the same anticipation of laughter also reduced the levels of three stress hormones. Cortisol (termed “the stress hormone”), epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) and dopac, a dopamine catabolite (brain chemical which helps produce epinephrine), were reduced 39, 70 and 38 percent, respectively (statistically significant compared to the control group).  Chronically released high stress hormone levels can weaken the immune system.

The research is entitled Cortisol and Catecholamine Stress Hormone Decrease Is Associated with the Behavior of Perceptual Anticipation of Mirthful Laughter. It was conducted by Lee Berk with Stanley A. Tan, both of the Oak Crest Health Research Institute, Loma Linda, CA; and Dottie Berk, Loma Linda University Health Care, Loma Linda.  Lee Berk is presenting the team’s findings at the 121st Annual Meeting of the American Physiological Society (APS; www.the-APS.org/press), part of the Experimental Biology 2008 scientific conference.

The Study

Having found that the anticipation of a laughter event increased certain “beneficial” chemicals/hormones, the researchers proposed that the anticipation of a laughter event might reduce stress hormones. To test their theory they studied 16 healthy fasting male volunteers for cortisol and catecholamine level changes. The participants were assigned to either the control group or the experiment group (those anticipating a humorous event).

Blood was drawn from both groups prior to the event (anticipation), four times during the event, and three times afterward (event and residual effect). Analysis showed that the blood levels in the anticipatory phase decreased for stress hormones cortisol, epinephrine and dopac in the experimental group. Trend analysis showed a progressive pattern of the decrease for the three hormones through the event.

As a result, the researchers suggest that anticipating a positive event can decrease stress hormones that can be detrimental when chronically released. These findings have implications for understanding the modalities that can benefit stress reduction in health and wellness programs.

The “Biology of Hope”

Norman Cousins was a journalist and an editor of the Saturday Review. He was also a pioneer in the idea that beliefs, thoughts and emotions have biological effects (“biotranslation”). His view about the body’s unrecognized ability to heal itself was captured in his 1979 book, “Anatomy of an Illness (As Perceived by the Patient).”

Forty years ago, few scientists would likely have agreed with Cousins. Today, researchers like Berk are beginning to pinpoint exactly what thoughts can drive which affects.  Researchers like Berk are finding that, in addition to what resides in our bodies, what resides in our brains and mind is important, too.

Thanks to  http://www.the-aps.org/mm/hp/Audiences/Public-Press/For-the-Press/releases/Archive/08/10.html

More info:  https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456