Miracle of Laughter

451 Words2 Pages
A pioneer in laughter research, William Fry, has put valid foundation under the premise popularly known as "laugh and last". Laughter is a therapy better than any physician can prescribe thus laughter is the best medicine. First of all laughter ensures physical health benefits. William Fry, a researcher described laughter as a “total body experience” in which muscles, nerves, heart, brain and digestion participate. A burst of belly laughter releases body's natural pain- suppressing agents. For example, there is a true story in which Norman Cousins, Literary Editor of New York Times, found out he had only a slim chance of recovering from a sudden mysterious disease, he had very little to laugh about! Within days his body had degenerated to the point that he had difficulty moving himself. In his article in New England Journal of Medicine, Cousins tells of his recovery, inspired by the discovery that 10 minutes of genuine belly-laughter had a telling effect and would give him at least two hours of pain-free sleep. Now, special tips for the ladies on diet... do you all know that Maciej Buchowski, a researcher from Vanderbilt University, conducted a small study in which he measured the amount of calories expended in laughing and he stated that one good belly laugh burns off 3 1/2 calories of fat and laughing for 15 seconds adds 2 days to your life span. Besides that, proving that laughter is the best medicine, it ensures mental health benefits. According to a study conducted by the University of Maryland Medical Centre, laughter dissolves distressing emotions. You will not feel anxious, angry, or sad when you’re laughing. It also reduces stress and increases energy, enabling you to stay focused and accomplish more. This relate closely with my scenario during the first part of my speech in which my housemates were laughing in a stressful situation. They actually laugh
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