Laughter as a Stress Buster

The stress cascade

Stress as a medical issue is a twentieth century phenomenon. It was Dr. Hans Selye, a prolific researcher, who first used the term stress to describe the unexplained sicknesses he observed in laboratory animals in the 1930s. He described a ‘stress cascade’ which starts off in the brain when the amygdalae, small masses of grey matter which monitor emotions, identify a threat. Signals that things are out of balance are sent to the hypothalamus which acts as an energy and body state regulator. When the stress message reaches the adrenal glands, the hormone epinephrine is pumped out into the body. This is known as the fight-or-flight response as it directs energy towards the muscles in preparation for running away from a predator or dangerous situation. It is a rapid response of the body to threat.

If the threat subsides, then the epinephrine stimulant will disperse, and a resting state will be restored. However, if danger is still perceived, then a second wave of hormonal reactions will release cortisol and other hormones which keep the brain and body in a state of high alert. It is this ongoing level of high arousal which causes problems over time and will produce a level of chronic inflammation which can be damaging to health.

When humans lived in caves and hunted threats were often from wild animals. Periods of high stress would be followed by periods of rest. This stress cycle would be completed as safety was restored, allowing the body and brain to calm down. In the twenty-first century there are many different sources of stress. Although there may be less clear and present danger from man-eating predators, there are many less obvious sources of stress, which may cause prolonged periods of stress without restoration allowing the brain to recover. 

Mindset matters

Stressors may be viewed as anything which has the potential to change the status quo. Humans are complex and health is made up of physiological processes keeping the body running well, psychological processes keeping the mind balanced, as well as a positive social context which provides us with the support and validation that allows us to flourish. Every day many of us are subjected to stress. Pollution, noise, work, and social interactions may all be the sources of stress of different kinds. Recent research (1) has highlighted that the negative effect of chronic stress on our health is significantly influenced by the way we view it. If we view stress as a natural and positive stimulus to performing better, then experiencing stress will not be as harmful to us as if we view stress as a damaging and debilitating experience.

Laughter as a stress inoculation

How does laughter come in? In my study of members of a laughter club, who met once a month, people described laughter as an inoculation against stress (2). One participant told me they came to the session with a box full of troubles, which they left at the door. After the session, they picked up an egg cup as they left. That’s a significant reduction. Another participant said that laughter threw out the negative, brought in the positive, keeping them mentally balanced. One of my favourite uses of laughter, one of the club members had come up with, was keeping laughter in their desk drawer. At times of stress, they opened the drawer, simply laughed for a few seconds, closed the drawer, and felt better.

The power of laughter

Laughter is a powerful way of completing the stress cycle. It is not possible to think negative thoughts (or any other thoughts) when you are really laughing. So why not try having a good laugh with your friends or family when you are feeling stressed. Some research has shown that laughing on your own can have a similar effect. Laughter is a freely available, fun resource with no adverse side effects. Why not give it a go next time you are feeling stressed… and help restore a healthy balance.

Anna

References

1 McGonigal, K. 2015. The upside of stress. Why stress is good for you (and how to get good at it). Vermillion.

2 Hatchard, A., & Worth, P. (2021). No laughing matter: Qualitative study of the impact of laughter yoga suggests stress inoculation. European Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 5(2), 2397-7116.

 https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend/comments