Here is more good news to smile about
this year. A recent study found that groups that either watched or
participated in comedy felt less pain than their peers, who watched
a documentary. People who laughed more had an even higher pain
threshold than those who only had a few giggles. Chuckling with
others also increased laughter's positive impact. People are 30
times more likely to laugh in a group than alone.
Laughing triggers endorphins, neurotransmitters produced by the
pituitary gland and hypothalamus, which spark a feeling of comfort
similar to what occurs when someone takes an opiate. Love,
excitement, spicy foods, orgasms, exercise, and pain all cause the
brain to produce endorphins, which also provide an analgesic effect.