Laughter Research Paper

I had planned on starting this paper with a joke that would have hopefully made you laugh. Then, I would have explained how laughter can make us feel better and all the work your body does when we laugh. After a full class period of scouring the internet for the perfect joke that could make anyone laugh, I realized a few things. First, reading a joke to yourself from a piece of paper or screen does not convey the same effect that occurs when someone else tells the joke. The tone of the teller 's voice plays an important role in delivering the impact of the joke. In order to achieve this, the teller must know how to tell the joke. Yet, if you read the joke, then reread it for emphasis, you know the outcome, thus tainting the intended response …show more content…
In relation to the five aspects of health, laughter can improve your overall well-being. According to the Health Education Services, these five aspects of health are physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual ("Personal Health & Wellness"). Gelotogists are scientists who study laughter. They have conducted research and drew a few conclusions. In the brain, researchers have observed an electrical wave traveling through the cerebral cortex when the subjects laugh at a joke. First, the left side of the cortex analyzes the words and the construction of the joke; then, the wave travels to the frontal lobe, the part of the brain that deals with emotions. Next, the right side of the cerebral cortex performs the task of analyzing the joke and making connections to understand it. The wave then spreads to the sensory processing area of the occipital lobe. All of this stimulation promoted a physical response to the joke. This includes the spastic and irregular contractions of the diaphragm, facial, abdominal, respiratory, leg, and back muscles (Brain). Researchers even guess that laughing 100 times is equivalent to spending ten minutes doing a cardiovascular workout. Laughing is a full body and brain workout, for …show more content…
The full definition of medicine is something that affects well-being. Laughter applies to both definitions, so, laughter is medicine. Laughter has never successfully cured any disease on its own, but what has? Laughter therapy is a complementary medicine, especially for cancer patients (Gentry). This means that when used alongside prescribed medication or treatment, it may encourage better results. Its purpose is not to add years to life, but life to years (Gendry). Even if laughing fails to heal the ailment, it makes the person feel better on the inside and that matters,