Laughter as Good Medicine
Effects of Laughter on Immune System
Laughter creates its own unique physiology state, with changes in the immune system opposite to those caused by stress. Laugh researcher Lee Berk, in a series of studies at Loma Linda University in California, measures the effects of laughter on the immune system.
Subjects were divided into two groups and hooked up to IVs. Half were shown a video of a stand-up comic, the other half sat quietly in a room. During the video and for half an hour afterwards, blood samples were drawn every 10 minutes.
The video group had significant increases in:
- Activated T Cells, primed to battle infection
- Natural killer cells, which attack tumors and microbes
- Immunoglobulin A-antibodies, which patrol respiratory tract
- Gamma interferon, a key immune system messenger
- Significantly decreased cortisol levels, a hormone that suppresses the immune system
The control Group showed no changes!
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