A series of beneficial changes in the human body are triggered by ten to fifteen minutes of continuous laughter: initially, the increase in the levels of the so-called happiness hormones (dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins) is activated, while at the same time the levels of the hormones decrease of stress (cortisol and adrenaline). At the same time, the function of the immune system and the blood vessels of the heart is improved and the production of human growth hormone is intensified by up to 87%, which positively affects bones, muscles and the metabolism of fat and sugar. In addition, the lungs expel more carbon dioxide from inside them, allowing new oxygen to enter.

“Laughter is powerful medicine, free and without side effects. It causes physical and emotional changes, and this is particularly important, according to Psychoneuroendocrine immunology”, the laughter professional, Vittoria Tosoni, points out to APE-MPE. She states that all of the above has been scientifically studied and proven to be true, while adding that according to a Norwegian study, people with a strong sense of humor live longer than those who do not laugh so much.

The body cannot distinguish real from fake laughter

Of particular interest is the fact that, according to Ms. Tosoni, “the human body is not able to distinguish a real from a fake laugh.” This means that even fake laughter can result in all the positive changes mentioned above.

Citing studies by American psychotherapist Annette Goodheart, who has worked with people struggling with cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, eating disorders, sexual and physical abuse, marital crises, alcoholism and drug addiction, he notes: “these studies have shown that induced laughter is interpreted by the body as authentic, thus stimulating the production of happiness hormones that reach the cells of the body, stabilizing the hormonal system and strengthening the immune system”.

So, Ms. Tosoni says, once people can fake laughter, “training someone to do it produces healthy effects on their body.”

How to train laughter

“A simple exercise involves taking three deep breaths, holding the oxygen for a few seconds on the third breath, and exhaling using the sound ‘Ha Ha Ha.’ Another possibility is that someone starts laughing silently, in the company of a good friend, and gradually the laughter becomes louder”, he says characteristically.

She does, however, suggest that everyone take a diaphragmatic breathing class (in which air entering the lungs inflates the abdomen) and then practice it on their own at every opportunity. “I’m used to practicing while I’m doing housework or while I’m in the car, stuck in traffic. This is a great opportunity to not get angry and stressed. I also enjoy laughing as a form of exercise while studying Greek on an app. In fact, I noticed that I make fewer mistakes and I believe that this may be related to the greater amount of oxygen I take in,” he says.

Laughter clubs

Regarding laughter clubs, he comments that they are safe places, where anyone can practice therapeutic laughter and also socialize, in the company of other people. As he states, “when someone goes to the gym, after a few workouts they become stronger and do things they couldn’t do in the first few days. The same goes for laughter. At first it is somewhat strange to be in the same space with strangers, to do the exercises, to provoke laughter: the process does not seem natural or authentic at first and can make the participants feel uncomfortable. However, the effort is worth the wait, and then the process is facilitated by the fact that laughter is highly contagious and improves everyone’s mood to be in the same space and in the same mood.”

“I was about to fall into depression…”

Describing her personal experiences from the beginning of her engagement with this particular practice, the laughter professional, Vitoria Tosoni, points out: “in 2015 I was on the verge of falling into depression and I discovered that in the city where I had just moved, a laughter club had started to operate. Since I hadn’t laughed in a long time, I decided to take part. At first I felt uncomfortable, but within just a few weeks I started to feel really uplifted and I was so impressed that I decided to become a laughter trainer.”

For the benefits in her daily life she reports that she had more energy, confidence, motivation, much better relationships. As for the training itself, she incorporated into it some practices derived from her previous studies: counseling, play, nonviolent communication, and others.

He clarifies, at the same time, that this practice has been introduced in many different environments, schools, companies, homes for the elderly, structures for people with special needs, prisons, rehabilitation centers and hospitals, while in Italy it is currently applied to patients of oncology departments and other categories patients.