Science has proved that laughing is healthier： laughing 100 times is equivalent to riding for 15 minutes.
The reference news network reported on July 24. Spain’s "Fun" monthly magazine published an article in May, saying that smiling is healthier. Why do some funny things make some people laugh while others are indifferent? "I think humor is a way of looking at life and an immune mechanism at the same time," said Javier Cansado, a Spanish comedian. "I always think my children are funny, but they are not humorous. I may be able to teach them how to taste wine, but a sense of humor is innate. "
According to the article, laughter is a widely studied behavior in the scientific community for decades, and humor shows more about what we think and feel about our relationship with others. Humor is an emotion, so it is difficult to measure.
Capture the funny dance of neurons
With the help of advanced neuroimaging technology, we know that humor originates from the misidentification area in the center of the brain, which is located directly above the corpus callosum connecting the left and right hemispheres. From this position, you can "supervise" all other areas of the brain that perform their duties.
When we are listening to a joke, the sound waves emitted by words will be transmitted to the brain through electrical pulses. How can I hide an elephant in a cherry tree? Faced with such a brain teaser, the left hemisphere will immediately start sorting out information and try to guess the logical ending. At the same time, a small active area in the right hemisphere will help us imagine this narrative from a very absurd angle. In addition, we also need the help of a brain region related to processing language and memory in a short time. When the answer "dye its hooves red" appeared, the surprise broke our expectations. The error recognition area is responsible for synchronizing the logical and illogical parts of the narrative. Once an error is detected, the brain will get compensation by releasing dopamine called "happiness hormone", which will trigger laughter. "A sense of humor requires a flexible brain, because the processes of understanding a joke, finding the interesting part and laughing are highly synchronized." Natalia Lopez Moratalla, an expert in biochemistry at Navarra University, pointed out.
According to the article, humor can stimulate positive emotions, but it may not necessarily eliminate negative emotions. In fact, in a sad atmosphere such as a funeral, sometimes we can’t help laughing. Although it seems very rude, it is just a way to deal with existing emotions. Humor can even help us get closer to others in tense moments.
The same effect as doing exercise.
Lisa Rosenberg, a researcher at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, analyzed how humor can help in jobs that require quick and accurate decisions. "Joking often can relax our brains and increase our objectivity in the face of great pressure." Rosenberg said. Humor and its most common expression, laughter, are not only very useful to us as a psychological defense mechanism, but also bring benefits to our bodies. First of all, laughter is an aerobic exercise, and the exercise effect achieved by laughing for 100 times is equivalent to riding a bicycle for 15 minutes. In addition, the health of laughter lies in "accelerating the heart rate and supplying oxygen to the brain", Moratalla said, "People with a sense of humor have healthier immune mechanisms, the probability of myocardial infarction will be reduced by about 40%, and the average life expectancy will be increased by four and a half years".
According to the article, many scientists suggest laughing for at least 15 minutes every day, because laughter may even have the effect of "painkiller". A scientific team at Allegheny College in Pennsylvania, USA, found in the experiment that if people happened to watch a drama before being shocked, the pain they felt would be less intense. The reason is that laughter can promote the production of endorphins, which are considered to be the natural "morphine" secreted by the body.
"Obviously, laughter and humor can’t cure the pain by themselves, but they can bring benefits to diseases with low pain, such as fibromyalgia, and can also relieve emotional disorders, anxiety and depression." Manuel Arias Gomez, an expert from the Spanish Society of Neurology, said.
Laughter therapy
Therefore, the so-called "laughter therapy" has appeared as an auxiliary method in the treatment of some diseases. More and more hospitals have recruited volunteers, usually artists, to bring warmth to the cold hospital environment. At present, a number of organizations have sprung up in Spain, such as Smile Doctor of theodora Foundation, Clowns Without Borders, and Smile Medicine, which are dedicated to promoting the laughter therapy.
Madrid psychologist Begonia Cabello has devoted herself to studying the relationship between health and humor and how it can be used by medical staff for many years. "I don’t think enough attention is paid to the way to help patients relieve their pain through emotions." She pointed out.
"It turns out to be really effective: when the patient is refreshed, the recovery situation can be more ideal. This has been verified not only in children and patients, but also in adults and the elderly. " Cabello said. Humor, like exercise, is our best "tonic", a healthy living habit and the most accessible "medicine". (Compile/Han Chao)
