What's So Funny?

Why do we laugh at something we find funny? Is it a natural reaction? Does the brain trigger this? Well, laughing is a physical reaction from humans which contracts the diaphragm as well as other respiratory organs within the system. It is a part of the human behavior for positive feedback and social interaction and doesn't always occur after a joke or something funny. Sometimes people laugh at even the most basic of things; for example, saying hello to a friend can trigger laughter. It is a social interaction which bonds people and builds relations and one person laughing can gradually begin to initiate someone else to laugh. It's contagious!

Laughing, the universal language. It truly is amazing to think that humans can communicate by simply laughing. What more, we are born with this prospectus language even if we were born deaf blind or both! Moreover, it is instinctive and occurs completely naturally. Usually, it is a visual representation which portrays a smile along with a change in the breathing pattern as unusual sounds are heard during this moment. But what fascinates many scientists is why the body changes it's facial expression to what is seen in the picture above. Why do we raise our cheek bones and open our mouths? A question that is yet to be answered. However, isn't laughing simply and audible smile...

Laughing has many benefits; from having a good time with others to excising the body (although you would have to laugh for 3 hours straight to burn off a packet of ready salted crisps). All in all laughter seems to be the complete package. With regards to health benefits, laughter is able to:
  • relax the whole body - if the laugh is very strong and vibrant, it can do so for up to 45 minutes after
  • boost the immune system - the volume of stress hormones decreases and the volume of cells involved in the immune system can increase (white blood cells)
  • increase the volume of endorphins produced - these are 'feel-good' chemicals that are able to give the body a pleasing sensation
  • increase the rate of blood flow - overall, laughter can dilate blood vessels which increases the rate of flow. This, in effect, protects the heart from cardiovascular problems

As a conclusion, it seems that laughing is generally good for the body physically and psychologically. What are your thoughts about laughing?  Let us know in the comments down below.

Thank you for reading this weeks post
Written by Universal Medicine (Sab Bassan)

Sources:

Comments

  1. nm30 October 2017 at 07:38

    I discovered your this post while hunting down some related data on online journal search...Its a decent post..keep posting and upgrade the data.
    That is truly decent to listen. much obliged to you for the redesign and good fortunes.
    video production Dubai

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PTSD - A Psychodynamic Explanation

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a type of anxiety disorder which you may develop after being involved in, or witnessing, traumatic events. The condition was first recognised in war veterans and has been known by a variety of names, such as 'shell shock'. PTSD can develop immediately after someone experiences a disturbing event, or it can occur weeks, months or even years later. Its estimated to affect about 1 in every 3 people who have a traumatic experience, but it's not clear exactly why some people develop the condition and others do not. There are many theories that could be used to explain this condition. Psychodynamic approaches to PTSD focus on a number of different factors that may influence or cause PTSD symptoms, such as early childhood experiences, current relationships and the things people do to protect themselves from upsetting thoughts and feelings that are the result of experiencing a traumatic event. The psychodynamic approach focuses mainly
Read more

Disparities in Global Eye Care

Vision is one of our most precious possessions. Multiple polls globally show that most people are more fearful of becoming blind than losing any other sense. (1,2) With sight being such a valuable asset, one would assume that eyecare is at the forefront of medical services across the world. Living in the developed world, we perhaps take for granted the simple and yet crucial services available to us such as regular eye tests, glasses, contact lenses and high-quality ophthalmic care - most of which can be accessed for free or at a subsidised price. However, in many parts of the world this is not the case. 285 million people worldwide are visually impaired, with 90% being from developing countries. (3) In China, for example, levels of blindness are increasing each year, however critically, rates of blindness have been reported at up to 4 times higher in the developing world as compared to more economically developed countries (4, 5). This is particularly worrying given that around 80% of
Read more

Do Contact Lenses Really “Support Your Vision”?

Image
Contact lenses have been frequently used as an alternative to glasses. Compared to the heavy-framed glasses in front of one’s eyes (optic glasses), thin plastic discs on the eye (contact lenses) help correct refractive errors in both myopic and hypermetropic users. The lens’ shape and power can be tailored to the user’s sight. A concave lens can be used to decrease myopia by reducing light refraction and increasing focal length so that the image is formed on the retina (1)  (Figure 1). Alternatively, a convex lens can be used to limit hypermetropia in an opposing mechanism to concave lenses (1) (Figure 1). Figure 1, An illustration of myopia and hyperopia and how adding lens of different shapes in front of the eye can be used to alter the refraction of light and correct each impairment in vision (10) Besides supporting sight, which both types of lenses can do, contact lenses confer some advantages that make them preferable to glasses. Unlike glasses, contact lenses are less likely to f
Read more