Habits and Hustle - Episode 250: Behind The Science of Therapeutic Laughter

Episode Date: June 16, 2023

In this solo episode of Habits and Hustle, we explore the therapeutic benefits of laughter. We talk about how laughter has an impact on your mental and physical well-being, making it as effective as any other healthy habit you may want to take on. We also chat about how laughter is a universal language that is spoken by all humans and that is great to create bonds with people.  What we discuss: 00:56: Is laughter medicine? 03:18: How does laughter help us on a physiological level? 04:31: What are the other forms of laughter therapy? 05:21: Can laughter create bonds? 08:35: What are our favorite comedians? My links: Website: https://www.jennifercohen.com/ Instagram: @therealjencohen  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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And today's topic is the science of laughter. Why we laugh and how it affects our brains and our physical and mental health. I don't know about you, Shawnee, but I'm like a huge fan of comedy, of laughing. It's like literally my favorite thing in the world to do. A little bit good laugh. A little belly laugh. Right? Yes.

And I think there is a reason why they say laughter is the best medicine because it really like it really is. I mean, like nothing changes a mood or changes your emotional state better than like a good hearty laugh. Absolutely. Right? Oh my god, yeah. I just love it.

So, I love stand-up. So, let's go into it a little bit more. You know, like there is a lot of research backing how laughter really does like change. Not just the neuroplasticity in our brains, but our overall physical and emotional well-being. That's why there's like laughter therapy. There's like laughing yoga or whatever they call it. Yeah, laughing yoga. Laughing yoga. Laughing yoga. My favorite thing.

Have you actually done it? Yeah, I can't believe you've never done it. It's like so much fun. Yeah, I've never done laughing yoga. So much fun. I just like going, that's why like you know, I'm like hugely obsessed with standup comedians and like watching standup. I can do that every single night of the week.

It's just to me, I just love it. Yeah, good comedians are great. Comedians, like youians, every night I fall asleep to watching some kind of Netflix comedy special. But even the recent ones? The recent ones haven't been so great. I gotta be honest with you. But automatically changes my,

if I'm in a shitty mood, a sad mood, an angry mood, watching five minutes of comedy just shifts everything. Yeah. So this is why I think this is like a really good topic to really get into because they can say gratitude, they can say meditation, they can say every other thing helps you with your mental health and like well-being.

I believe laughter is number one. Well laughing yoga is so interesting because it's not actual, like you're not laughing because you're watching like a really hilarious stand-up bit. It's a force laughter at first. You're all like, I did this at the beach and looking at beach.

Like our mental family was there on vacation and this circle of what looked like a cult just pulled us into their little laughing circle. And you just laugh. And instinctually like, once everyone else starts laughing, you start laughing and then everyone's just laughing a lot and then you're just laughing nonstop. And then it's just this crazy,

bout of laughter that is just so uncontrollable. And it's one of my favorite things. It's so much fun. You know what it reminds me of like yawning? Like when someone else starts laughing. Someone starts laughing. I end up laughing because they're laughing. And then I can't control my laughter

and it goes back and forth And it's like usually the best belly laugh the best Uncontrollable laugh is like the best feeling ever 100% right and this is what they say so it actually does reduce stress hormones when we laugh our bodies release Endorphins which are natural chemicals that make us feel good these endorphins can help reduce the levels of stress in our body Such as cortisol, which is like obviously the stress hormone, which has negative effects on our immune system. It also increases our immune system function. So laughter has been shown to increase the production of

of immune cells and antibodies, which help fight infections and illness. It also increases the activity of natural killer cells, which are white blood cells that it can attack cancer cells and viruses. So there's a lot of like, it also increases the activity of natural killer cells, which are white blood cells that it can attack cancer cells and viruses. So there's so much interesting. Yeah, so there's a lot of, like, and that's what I'm saying, there's a lot of, like, backed science,

what laughter does to our bodies in a positive way, physically and mentally. Well, I mean, cortisol is like my archnomesis. So anything to reach out to. And by the way, it's everybody's to reach out to the center. So it's my freaking archnomesis. It's everybody's. I put it in my freaking arch-n-em. So it's everybody's.

I mean, who likes cordal? Like, I can't, you know what I mean? It's not something that people are like, oh, I love having my stress hormone, you know. If there was a villain in my life, like my story arc, my existence, like cortisol would be like the villain, like the ultimate villain.

Like, he would just be like the move fossil or whatever of like my story. I think it's everybody's, I really believe that. So we talked about like the power villain, like he would just be like the the move faster, whatever of like my story. I think it's everybody's I really believe that. So we talked about like the power of humor, laughter therapy. What are the other types of forms of therapy besides yoga? Art therapy people could know be like in laughter. Oh, there's like a lot of ways that you can use laughter to like help you with your physical and mental conditions.

I mean, it also helps with chronic pain. Could I guess you're forgetting about the pain that you have because you're focusing on like, your endorphins are also, I guess your endorphins are releasing and you're just like distracted. Do you talk about microdosing on this podcast at all? Is that allowed? I've never talked about it.

Because mushrooms will make you laugh like crazy, and that can be like a really good form of therapy. But, you know, that's a whole other topic and a whole other podcast, but any type of psychedelic can have different effects on different people. Sure. So, like, it can make you laugh,

but a lot of people I know have had like horrible things where they've cried the whole time, you know, or they've had anxiety the whole time. It's quite sad. It's not just laughing, right? It's like, maybe that's been your experience, or maybe if you microdose, you can get a different thing. When microdosing is not going to give you any impact, it's not going to, it's a long-term

thing. It's not something that gives you a high. Also, I would say that laughter is a universal language, right? That's very true. Everybody likes to laugh. If you're laughing, it's a great bonding thing for people, like for personal bonding, like, you know, if you're laughing and I'm laughing right away, we're like bonded because we had to share an experience that was so positive and happy and fun.

What's that mean girl's quote? That's like math is the same in every language. Like laughing is the same in every language. It really is. It is. Laughing is the same. Literally the same in every language. It's just ha ha ha ha. You know, like this. Unless you're typing in Spanish, it's jojah jojah jojah because the J is ha. So ta ha ha.

Yeah, so funny. I'm talking to my Spanish friends, like a jojah jojah. Yeah, that's actually true. But I think it's like a universal language, right? And it's like it's bonding. It releases tension. I mean, there's so much much, I think that we should, people should explore the science of laughter

as truly like, it's free medicine, literally free medicine. Just as they would say, we talk so much on this podcast about all these ways to optimize your health and your life, right? Like from the sawn as to the cold plunges, to all sorts of like red light therapy, like all sorts of different modalities. I said earlier, gratitude, journaling, all these things. But like at the end of the day, if you can just have a good laugh, or like you and like laugh for like five minutes a day, so many of these like negative things that like are keeping you held back or down or, you know, so much

of it just goes away if you can just find something to laugh about. 100%. Right? I think it should be the number one health modality and it's free. It should be up there with walking. I think walking and laughter are the two best and biggest ways to change your mood and to elevate your health. To me, those are the two and the free. Anybody can do it.

Everybody can do it. And you don't need to have anything but yourself. You can laugh at yourself if you want. You know, I do it every day. Every day, exactly. Free 99. Yeah. The hit series, Claim to Fame, is back on ABC.

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for kids who go through a lot when they're younger, and they just become really funny in the end. Like, it's interesting because it's literally like one of the best coping mechanisms and it makes so much sense that some people would naturally go that route because of what it does to your body physically. So I also believe it's the best way to kind of like a lot of like the world, like people like political problems, everything. It's like you if you can like find humor in certain things that are like terrible.

It's a great way to cope with anything, right? Like it's absolutely. I just think it's to be up there between that and walking. I'm not joking. Are the two, in my opinion, those are the two best ways to impact and increase your health in a positive way. What are your favorite comedians to watch? Oh my gosh. Now, now you're talking my language. I'm, I used to be obsessed with Sebastian Manaselco. Do you know who he is? He's an Italian guy. He used to be hilarious. And thenasilco. Do you know who he is? Is it Italian guy? He used to be hilarious. And then as he got more,

now he's so successful. He's like one of the biggest standards of all time. He can like sell up the Madison Square Garden for like three nights in a row. He like lost a little bit of his edge, in my opinion. That happens. Right, because like now like his perspective, like you know, when you're down and,

and when you're in the trenches, and like now like his perspective, like, you know, when you're down and and when you're in the trenches and like, you're funny, you mean like, you're funny as hell. But as you're now, you're living a bougie life. It's not so funny, but his kids in private school or like his life is very different. He is kids in private school. Like his last special, this wasn't that funny to me. Sorry, Sebastian. I still like you, but I'm obsessed. My favorite of all time is Chris rock really Chris rock to me Never lost his edge. He was hilarious 20 years ago. He's still in hilarious every special I've seen on him He's brilliant. He's so smart. He has persists perspective his thought process his delivery his voice perspective, his thought process, his delivery, his voice, he to me is the bar none, the best down up comedian of all time.

Second closest is Bill Burr. I love Bill Burr. So you got Chris Rock, you got Bill Burr. I do like Sebastian, but not as much as those guys. I mean, people love Dave Chappelle. I think it's good, but not bad. I think he's lost his last couple of specials. I just wasn't really, I don't know.

They're just, like, I wasn't like, I got like a belly laugh out of them. Do you know what I mean? I need like real, it's nice when it's thought provoking too. Don't get me wrong or like that. But I'm not, I don't really care. I don't really wanna think. I'm not trying to think.

I'm trying to just like die laugh. I'm gonna roll off my feet. Did you listen to Chris Rocks? Recent one? Recent Netflix special. No, but you know what? Have my dad told me also to watch it. And that's kind of what put me off from watching it.

Cause I was like, he always tells me like, you know what he's right. And I'm not joking. He to me is, I think the best of all time. Oh, another one I love who's clean, like who doesn't really swear, he's super clean and he's really clever. Is Jim Gaffigan. Jim Gaffigan is amazing too. I like him.

There's so many. I really love Ali Wong. She's really good too. She's a hysterical. She's amazing. I don't want to lean in. I want to lie down. She's one of my favorite lines ever. She's so good. What? So good. Another one. We had him on, actually, and Sam Morel is very good too. Oh, you know, when I'm scrolling on social, but I don't want to scroll on social. I think that it's an unproductive waste of my time, but I still don't want to do anything else. I'll go to someone like Sam's profile and just scroll through Reels, because I feel like it's productive.

I'm laughing, and so I'm feeling really good. 100%. And his Reels are really funny. He's funny. it's productive. I'm laughing and so I'm feeling really good. 100%. And his reels are really funny. He's funny. He's great. Like he's great in the moment. Like Sam, that's why his whole page is basically like him picking people out of the crowd. Yeah, the crowd.

The crowd. Yeah. But they're really great. And that's great content. He's actually on tour right now. Yeah. So if you guys check him out, he's really good. And again, it's also his delivery, his voice.

Voice has a lot to do with these comics. I find. Like my does. There's a, and again, it's also his delivery, his voice. Voice has a lot to do with these comics. I find, like, there's a bunch of people. I like this other girl. She was used to, actually used to date Sam Morale. She's really funny. Like, she's young and she's like super, super, super talented. And her and Sam Morale used to go out. And what does her name, she's really funny.

Taylor, Tomlin's, I like her. New Liker. I think she's really good. I does her name she's really funny Taylor Tomlinson. Yeah, Taylor Tomlinson. You like her I think she's really that funny. Oh my god. She's again. I think she's so clever like how she like sequences words together I think she's amazing. I think she's great Brian Regan's another one. I really like there's so many But do you know Anthony Johnson look? Yeah, I do. I know him. He's good. I like him. Not as good as the other one I love I think it will love him. I's good. I like him. Not as good as the other ones. I think I'll love him. I think he has, in terms of the economy of words, like he's one of the best. He's good. He's very good.

Literally crafting jokes. Like, I don't find Taylor to be a joke crafter. I think she's kind of got something, but she's not crafting jokes. It's a perfection. I think she's, I think that she tells a great story. But I don't like story comedy. Yeah, but I mean, I like stand up. She's great. I think she's an excellent stand up. She has like three specials.

And each one of them I think were amazing. So I could never get into any of them. I even started all the time. Really? Yeah, I just didn't like them. See, I actually do like Andy Jocelynlake. He wasn't one of my favorite favorites. Oh, do you know who I love?

And I think you put me onto him is Elon Gold. I love Elon Gold. He's hilarious. Elon Gold is so freaking funny. Oh my God. He is so funny. And the other guy that his sidekick at that moody. Moody.

I like him. Moody is very funny. So when I love also on the British side of the pond is Michael McIntyre. I think he would really like him. He's very family friendly too. I don't know that guy You know what I do like I like he's funny. I like Ricky Jarvey. Yeah, he's great Yeah, Ricky Jarvey's yeah, but Michael McIntyre is like a little bit more like Michael McIntyre is Yeah, I guess he he's like family friendly. He the guy literally sells out like arenas non-stop. He's he's

Fun for everyone I used to love actually is Russell Peters. You know who he is? Yeah, of course. Yeah, Russell Peters is so good. Yeah, it's so good. This is the point, right? There's a comedian for everybody.

Everyone has different tastes and everything else. But the bottom line is, if you can find five minutes to laugh every day, your health will be so improved. That's a great way to naturally just release endorphins and really just increase your overall physical and mental health. And like I said, this podcast is all about actionable ways to optimize your life and your health. And so today, we bring you the science of laughter and let us know some comediansians that you like like I love I mean seriously like I'm always looking for someone to to laugh to so please share yes go have a chuckle yes and let me know some other ones if I haven't mentioned

them already on the podcast bye Thank you so much for listening to this week's solo episode. And if you like this, I know you will like, hopefully, love my book, Bigger, Better, Boulder. And why? It's because it's time for you to start living the life you want and not just the life you get. I not only help you answer the questions like what do you want most in life and why don't you have it, but I also help you make it a reality. The link is in the show notes for you to easily check it out now. And thank you again for being here and spending Boulder today.

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