Have you ever been having sort of a crummy day, but then walk into a class and see that one person (or group of people) and you almost instantly feel better after talking and laughing with them? Or, perhaps you just feel better after having a good laugh with a family member, maybe your pet did something funny that made you laugh, or even from yourself!
Well, there’s actually real reasoning behind this sudden feeling of happiness. Let’s talk about it!
Laughter is a full body response to joy and humor. People love to laugh, as it makes them feel good. The average adult laughs 17 times a day (Brain). And the average child laughs 300-400 times a day. (Fischer). Crazy, right?
Have you ever heard the saying, “Laughter is the best medicine”? Well, it really can be.
When we laugh, our bodies release a chemical called Endorphins. This natural chemical is your body’s own kind of painkiller, our natural anti-depressant, and serotonin, contributing to an immediate boost in your mood and relaxation. (UNT Health).
By releasing these Endorphins, as well as reduction of stress hormones, stimulation of immune cells, and improved blood circulation, laughter actually contributes to strengthening the immune system. (UNT Health).
While we’re listing off ways laughter can greatly benefit a person, it happens to benefit one of my favorite topics to talk about, mental health.
For obvious reasons, laughter can greatly benefit a person’s mental health. But how, exactly?
Laughter is a mood enhancement. It triggers neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which elevate your mood and eliminate symptoms of depression and anxiety. So sort of buffering out possible feelings of loneliness and isolation that connect to depression and anxiety, can become a coping mechanism to reframe difficult or stressful situations and help to adopt a more positive outlook on life.
Have you ever noticed when you aren’t often laughing, maybe haven’t been talking to your friends/family, or have been in a funk for a few days and it just makes you think that everything sort of sucks?
Well, including things like laughter in your everyday life can improve your immune system without you having to even try, boosts your mood and decreases stress levels, benefits your mental health, eliminates feelings of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and isolation, along with so much more. Laughter truly is the best medicine, as they always say!
Works Cited
Brain, Marshall, and Cristen Conger. “How Laughter Works | HowStuffWorks.” Science | HowStuffWorks, https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/emotions/laughter.htm. Accessed 2 October 2025.
Fischer, Ms. “Laughter — Where Does it Go?” Medium, ILLUMINATION, 26 August 2024, https://medium.com/illumination/laughter-b5e58ea5e693. Accessed 2 October 2025.
“Why Laughter Is The Best Medicine For Your Whole Health.” UNT Health Science Center, 19 March 2024, https://www.unthsc.edu/college-of-public-health/why-laughter-is-the-best-medicine-for-your-whole-health/. Accessed 2 October 2025.