Go ahead and add laughter to the list of factors that contribute to the healthy lifestyle. Researchers at Loma Linda University Medical Center are looking at how a person's mental state and perspective on life affects the functions of the immune system. Specifically, Lee Berk, Dr. P.H., and his colleagues are studying how "a merry heart" (that's happiness/mirthful laughter) can actually bolster the body's ability to prevent and combat illness and diseases.
Intrigued by the awareness that stress and depression can lower the effectiveness of the body's immune system, the researchers wanted to see if the opposite is true - whether positive emotions and attitudes can improve immune system capabilities.
In the study, scientists measured blood stress hormone levels of a group of medical students before, during and after the students watched a humorous video. Results showed that mirthful laughter brings about significant changes in certain components of the endocrine system, believed to be related to the body's ability to fight diseases.
For instance, the students experienced a reduction in their levels of blood cortisol. Cortisol, released during moments of stress (distress), can reduce the circulation of lymphocytes (immune cells) in the bone marrow and interfere with there normal functioning in the immune system.
Researchers also found that mirthful laughter modifies some classical stress hormone levels in ways that may positively influence the immune system.
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