It’s often said that laughter is the best medicine. Have you ever wondered if that’s really true? Scientists have been curious about this, too.
They have been studying how humor, which is something that makes us laugh or smile, can help people who are feeling anxious or depressed.
Anxiety is when you feel worried or nervous. Depression is when you feel very sad for a long time.
What Do We Know About Humor and Health?
Some studies show that laughing can help us feel better. For example, it can reduce stress and make us feel more relaxed.
Laughing also increases our heart rate and improves blood flow, which can help us feel more alert and refreshed.
What Does The New Study Say?
A new study looked at how humor can help lessen symptoms of depression and anxiety. Symptoms are signs of a disease or disorder.
For instance, if you’re depressed, you may feel sad or lose interest in things you usually enjoy.
The researchers looked at 29 different studies from nine countries. In all, these studies included 2,964 people. The people in these studies had depression or anxiety.
Some of them were children who were having surgery or anesthesia, which is medicine to help you sleep or not feel pain during a procedure.
Others were older people living in nursing homes, patients with Parkinson’s disease, cancer, mental illness, or receiving dialysis (a treatment for kidney disease), retired women, and college students.
Some of the studies used medical clowns to bring humor into the patients’ lives. Other studies used laughter therapy or laughter yoga.
Laughter therapy is a kind of treatment where people are encouraged to laugh to feel better. Laughter yoga is a practice that combines laughter exercises with yoga breathing.
What Were The Results?
The results showed that most people thought humor therapy made their depression and anxiety feel less severe. However, some people didn’t think it helped much.
Why Is This Important?
This study is important because it suggests that humor could be a simple and helpful way to support people who have anxiety or depression.
As a type of therapy, it’s easy to do and it doesn’t cost much. Plus, most people enjoy laughing!
The authors of the study wrote, “As a simple and feasible complementary alternative therapy, humor therapy may provide a favorable alternative for clinicians, nurses, and patients in the future.”
This means that doctors, nurses, and patients might use humor therapy alongside other treatments for anxiety and depression.
What Does This Mean For You?
If you’re feeling anxious or depressed, it might help to try adding more laughter to your life. You could watch a funny movie, read a funny book, or spend time with people who make you laugh.
Remember, it’s always important to talk to a doctor or counselor if you’re feeling very sad or worried. They can provide other treatments and support as well.
Laughter might not be a cure-all, but this study shows it can certainly help. So, the next time you’re feeling down, try watching your favorite funny show or telling a joke.
It might just make you feel a little bit better! And remember, it’s always okay to reach out to someone for help if you need it.
If you care about mental health, please read studies about 6 foods you can eat to improve mental health, and B vitamins could help prevent depression and anxiety.
For more information about mental health, please see recent studies about how dairy foods may influence depression risk, and results showing Omega-3 fats may help reduce depression.
The study was published in Brain and Behavior.
Copyright © 2023 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
