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Fifteen minutes of laughter a day will keep the doctor away, according to new research
Nothing is better than a good old giggle fest to improve your health
Therapeutic laughter isn’t well researched, but a few recent studies show what chuckle fans everywhere suspect: laughter does you good.
Researchers at the University of Oxford in the U.K. found that 15 minutes of watching comedy with others can increase pain thresholds by 10% – possibly through stress-relieving endorphins triggered by abdominal contractions.
Other preliminary studies have linked mirthful laughter to enhanced memory, reduced levels of stress hormones, improved blood flow and even, to a small degree, an increase in the number of calories we burn.
Sadly, as we hit our working years our tendency to laugh drops away – in one study, 30% of children observed in public settings made merry, compared to only 17% of those between 31 and 60.
Originally published in Wellness Matters, Canada Wide Media’s quarterly newsletter on health and wellness.