A new study published in PLOS One has found that spontaneous laughter can significantly reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, leading to positive effects for overall health. When human bodies respond to stress, a system called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is activated, leading to the release of cortisol. Some studies suggest that spontaneous laughter can reduce levels of cortisol, leading to potential health benefits.
To further investigate the impact of laughter on cortisol levels, researchers Caroline Kaercher Kramer and Cristiane Bauermann Leitao conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies. They focused on randomized controlled trials and quasi-experiments and found that laughter induced a significant reduction in cortisol levels compared to the control group.
The study also found that even a single laughter session induced a significant reduction in cortisol levels and that the duration of laughter did not impact cortisol levels. The authors concluded that genuine laughter holds positive effects for overall health as chronic cortisol secretion has negative implications for physical and psychological diseases. They also noted that their results supported other research demonstrating the benefits of laughter and reduced cortisol.
However, the study did have limitations, including differences in methods of inducing laughter between the studies and variations in the timing of cortisol level measurements. The researchers hope that their study will contribute to the growing body of evidence highlighting the potential health benefits of laughter. The study, titled “Laughter as medicine: A systematic review and meta-analysis of interventional studies evaluating the impact of spontaneous laughter on cortisol levels,” was authored by Caroline Kaercher Kramer and Cristiane Bauermann Leitao.