You've always heard laughter is the best medicine. Think about it - don't you feel better after a good laugh? What you might not know, though, is that laughter is scientifically proven to have heath benefits. Because of the physiological response involved in laughing, it is impossible to be laughing and stressed at the same time. It releases endorphins in the brain, which help control pain. Laughing also has other effects on the body including increased breathing, increased oxygen use and an increased heart rate. Together, these make laughter a viable treatment for both stress and pain.
To doctors, though, this isn't a new concept. The earliest mentions of humor as medicine is in the Bible, and it was commonly prescribed as a pain reliever in the 13th century. It's even found a place in pop culture, like in the movie Patch Adams.
Many hospitals have set up laugh rooms for patients to receive humor therapy. The American Cancer Society reports that by 1999, about 1 in 5 National Cancer Institute-designated treatment centers offered humor therapy. Also, many hospitals offer things like "Clown Rounds" in children wards to help treat young patients.
