Skip to main content
Logo for WebMD
Logo for WebMD
  • Coronavirus Update
  • Check Your Symptoms
  • Find A Doctor
  • Find A Dentist
  • Connect to Care
  • Find Lowest Drug Prices
  • Health
    A-Z
    Health A-Z
    Health A-Z
    Common Conditions
    • ADD/ADHD
    • Allergies
    • Arthritis
    • Cancer
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Eye Health
    • Heart Disease
    • Lung Disease
    • Orthopedics
    • Pain Management
    • Sexual Conditions
    • Skin Problems
    • Sleep Disorders
    • View All
    Resources
    • Symptom Checker
    • WebMD Blogs
    • Podcasts
    • Newsletters
    • Questions & Answers
    • Insurance Guide
    • Find a Doctor
    • Children's Conditions A-Z
    • Surgeries and Procedures A-Z
    • Featured Topics
    • woman experiencing chest discomfort Symptom Checker COVID-19: Check Your Symptoms Now
    • photo of migraine Slideshow Get Help for Migraine Relief
  • Drugs &
    Supplements
    Drugs & Supplements
    Drugs & Supplements
    Find & Review
    • Drugs
    • Supplements
    Drug Basics & Safety
    • Commonly Abused Drugs
    • Taking Meds When Pregnant
    Tools
    • Manage Your Medications
    • Pill Identifier
    • Check for Interactions
    • Drug Comparison Tool
    • Featured Topics
    • assorted vitamins Slideshow Vitamins You Need as You Age
    • photo of vaccine Coronavirus COVID-19 Vaccines
  • Living
    Healthy
    Living Healthy
    Living Healthy
    Diet, Food & Fitness
    • Diet & Weight Management
    • Weight Loss & Obesity
    • Food & Recipes
    • Fitness & Exercise
    Beauty & Balance
    • Healthy Beauty
    • Health & Balance
    • Sex & Relationships
    • Oral Care
    Living Well
    • Women's Health
    • Men's Health
    • Aging Well
    • Healthy Sleep
    • Healthy Teens
    • Featured Topics
    • grocery cart Article Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes
    • walking sneakers Quiz Do You Know the Benefits of Walking?
  • Family &
    Pregnancy
    Family & Pregnancy
    Family & Pregnancy
    All About Pregnancy
    • Getting Pregnant
    • First Trimester
    • Second Trimester
    • Third Trimester
    • View All
    Parenting Guide
    • Newborn & Baby
    • Children's Health
    • Children's Vaccines
    • Raising Fit Kids
    • View All
    Pet Care Essentials
    • Healthy Cats
    • Healthy Dogs
    • View All
    • Featured Topics
    • apple slices and peanut butter Slideshow Smart Snacks When You're Pregnant
    • photo of dogs kissing Slideshow Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats
  • News &
    Experts
    News & Experts
    News & Experts
    Health News
    • Coronavirus News
    • COVID-19 Vaccines -- Latest Updates
    • Coronavirus in Context: Interviews With Experts
    • COVID-19 Symptoms
    • Coronavirus Variants
    Experts & Community
    • WebMD Blogs
    • News Center
    • Featured Topics
    • photo of coronavirus cell WebMD News Get the Latest COVID-19 News Here
    • photo of person typing Get Our Newsletters Health News and Information, Delivered to Your Inbox
  • Mobile Apps
  • Subscriptions
  • Sign In
  • Subscribe
  • My Profile
    • My Tools
    • My WebMD Pages
    • My Account
    • Sign Out

    Laughter Home

    • Medical Reference
    • Features
    • Video
    • Slideshows & Images
    • Quizzes
    • News Archive

    Health and Balance Home

    • News
    • Reference
    • Quizzes
    • Slideshows
    • Videos
    • Questions & Answers
    • Find a Psychologist

    Health & Balance Guide

    • A Balanced Life
    • Take It Easy
    • CAM Treatments

    Related to Balance

    • Quit-Smoking Assessment
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Mental Health
    • Smoking Cessation
    • Stress Management
    • More Related Topics
    • Health & Balance
    • Videos

    Laughter Heals

    Video Transcript

    : (Laughter…)

    Narrator: Mark Twain once quipped, "he who laughs…lasts." The American humorist would probably chuckle if he knew about the growing body of scientific evidence that adds weight to his words of levity.

    Cheryl Lattimore: I feel like I've got a burst of energy (laughs)…you're going to get a heart after all. And you, you're going to get a brain…

    Narrator: Research shows laughter can improve your health: It helps reduce stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenalin, and pumps up immune system activity by increasing interferon, T cells and white blood cells. A hearty guffaw or belly laugh can also boost heart rate, improves blood flow, and stabilizes blood pressure.

    Jamie Moore: I very rarely get sick. And when I do get sick it's for very short periods of time.

    Narrator: In study after study, findings on this most cherished of human traits are giving us all something to smile about: Diabetic patients saw their blood sugar levels rise less after eating a meal at a comedy show; laughing improves digestion and speeds up respiration and blood circulation; in fact, laughing 100 or more times a day may have the same health benefits as 10 minutes of aerobic exercise! Not feeling funny? Well, don't get uptight; it may be that laughter doesn't have to be genuine to be effective: Zoe Haugo is a Laugh Group leader who routinely uses fake laughter to bring on the real thing…

    Zoe Haugo: There are a lot more smiles on people's faces and just people are loose and limbered up and they're connecting with each other more.

    Narrator: Psychologists agree. While research continues on the role of laughter in easing depression, many therapists have begun incorporating humor into their counseling sessions.

    Edward Z. Rosenzweig, PhD: To me in some ways it's a marker for improvement. Someone can acknowledge a funny moment and laugh with me.

    Marjorie Blum, PhD: It helps us develop a synchrony. I lean in they lean in a bit. There's a report that gets built.

    Narrator: Data on the medical benefits of humor continues to mount. But while it does, why not laugh it up? For WebMD, I'm Damon Meharg

    Related Videos

    Editor's Picks

    • woman with cup of coffee

      Video

      The Truth About Coffee
    • tongue scraper and tongue

      Video

      5 Ways to Beat Bad Breath
    • couple having sex in bed

      Video

      Why Orgasms Feel Good

    Latest Videos

    Top Picks

    • Get The Protein You Need
    • How Bad Habits Affect Your Health
    • How to Break Your Phone Habit
    • Yoga: Health Benefits and Safety Tips
    • Which Massage Is Best for You?
    • The Healing Power of Music

    further reading

    • Fascinating Facts About Your Body
    • Test Your Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ)
    • Why We Laugh
    • You're Never Too Old for a Good Laugh
    • The Laughing Cure
    • Seth Meyers, Night Rider
    • 10 Questions With Jeff Daniels
    • Laughter Topics

    Today on WebMD

    woman in yoga class

    Strike a Pose

    6 health benefits of yoga.

    beautiful girl lying down of grass

    Stressed Out?

    10 relaxation techniques to try.

    couple painting room

    What Colors Your World?

    Different hues may affect your mood, diet, and more.

    woman making funny face

    What Affects Your Personality?

    Learn why you are the way you are.

    Recommended for You

    Take your medication Slideshow

    10 Health Myths Debunked

    woman cracking her knuckles Slideshow

    How Bad Habits Affect Your Health

    Hungover man Slideshow

    12 Myths About Hangovers

    Welcome mat and wellington boots Slideshow

    Clean Up the Clutter in Your Home

    fruit bowl in kitchen Slideshow

    What Your Home Says About Your Health

    Happy and sad faces Quiz

    Myths and Facts About Your Moods

    Fingertip with string tied in a bow Article

    Why Can't I Remember Anything?

    laughing family Quiz

    What Makes Us Happy?

    Tools & Resources

    • 10 Tips to Zap Stress
    • How Bad Habits Affect Your Health
    • 10 Health Myths Debunked
    • 9 Types of Yoga to Try
    • Bust Clutter in Your Home
    • Video: 5 Natural Ways to Get Happy

    Health Solutions

    • Penis Curved When Erect
    • Could I have CAD?
    • Treat Bent Fingers
    • Discover hATTR Symptoms
    • Tired of Dandruff?
    • Treat HR+, HER2- MBC
    • Rethink MS Treatment
    • AFib-Related Strokes
    • Risk of a Future DVT/PE
    • Is My Penis Normal?
    • Relapsing MS Options
    • Enlarged Prostate Facts
    • Finance Plastic Surgery
    • Bent Finger Causes
    • Living With Psoriasis?
    • Benefits of CBD

    More from WebMD

    • 5 Tips to Help With Relapsing MS
    • How to Thrive With Narcolepsy
    • Relief for Blocked Hair Follicles
    • Psoriatic Arthritis and Your Sleep
    • What Psoriasis Feels Like
    • First Psoriatic Arthritis Flare
    • Talking to Your Doctor About RA
    • Crohn's: A 'Full-Body' Disease
    • Avoiding Crohn’s Flares
    • Living With Ankylosing Spondylitis
    • Live Better With Psoriatic Disease
    • Types of B-Cell Therapy for MS
    • Living Better With T2 Diabetes
    • Why Prostate Cancer Spreads
    • Getting the Care You Need for MS
    • Where Breast Cancer Spreads
    • Logo for WebMD
      • Visit WebMD on Facebook
      • Visit WebMD on Twitter
      • Visit WebMD on Pinterest
    • Policies

      • Privacy Policy
      • Cookie Policy
      • Editorial Policy
      • Advertising Policy
      • Correction Policy
      • Terms of Use

      About

      • Contact Us
      • About WebMD
      • Careers
      • Newsletter
      • Corporate
      • WebMD Health Services
      • Site Map
      • Accessibility
    • WebMD Network

      • Medscape
      • Medscape Reference
      • MedicineNet
      • eMedicineHealth
      • RxList
      • OnHealth
      • WebMDRx
      • First Aid
      • WebMD Magazine
      • WebMD Health Record
      • Dictionary
      • Physician Directory
    • Our Apps

      • WebMD Mobile
      • WebMD App
      • Pregnancy
      • Baby
      • Allergy
      • Medscape

      For Advertisers

      • Advertise with Us
      • Advertising Policy

    © 2005 - 2019 WebMD LLC. All rights reserved.

    WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

    See additional information.