Everyone has heard that laughter prolongs life, but how factual is that? Surgeon and stand-up comedian Mikhail Igorevich Vyborny told “Rambler” about the benefits of a good joke and why physicians favor dark humor.
From a scientific perspective, the study of laughter began relatively recently. And here is what researchers managed to discover.
Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Laughter boosts the production of endorphins, which bring feelings of euphoria, and lowers the output of the stress hormone cortisol. Furthermore, following a good jester, blood pressure and pulse initially rise, and then decrease; this response aids in relaxation.
Strengthens Heart and Lungs
During laughter, a person inhales more air, which increases heart rate, respiration, and oxygen consumption, benefiting the heart, lungs, and muscles. Sometimes, laughter is likened to light physical exertion: 10–15 minutes of laughter daily can burn 10–40 calories, roughly equivalent to a minute of cycling.
Bolsters Immunity
Laughter increases the creation of immune cells and antibodies, enhancing the body’s resistance to infections. Humor also releases neuropeptides that influence immune system function via stress pathways.
Alleviates Discomfort
We previously mentioned that laughter releases endorphins. Besides producing satisfaction, they can temporarily suppress pain. Therefore, they are termed natural painkillers or endogenous (internally generated) opioids.
Lowers Sugar Levels
This was demonstrated in an experiment by the Japanese Foundation for the Promotion of International Science. Patients with type 2 diabetes who watched a comedy program had lower post-meal blood glucose levels than those who viewed a dull lecture.
Trains the Brain
To appreciate a jest or craft one requires significant mental effort. It demands attention, analysis, and cognitive flexibility. Thus, humor is not only amusement but also an intellectual workout, for both the joke creator and the listener.
Does Laughter Extend Life?
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology monitored 53,000 volunteers for 15 years and found that individuals with a good sense of humor had a lower risk of death from all causes than those with poor comedic appreciation. Specifically, laughter protects women particularly well against cardiac ailments, and men against infections.
“There are no direct long-term studies proving that laughter itself prolongs life. However, it is proven to enhance quality of life and indirectly influence longevity by lowering chronic stress—a key factor in many ailments—improving psychological status and social connections, and fortifying cardiovascular and immune systems.”
The concept of curing illnesses with laughter is not new. Even the biblical Book of Proverbs contains the saying that a merry heart is like medicine. In the 1970s, American journalist Norman Cousins, who suffered from ankylosing spondylitis (an inflammatory spinal condition), noticed his back pain diminished after watching comedy programs. He published the book “Anatomy of an Illness,” detailing laughter’s health benefits, which became a classic.
Soon, laughter was incorporated into oncology wards and nursing homes to boost the morale of seriously ill patients. The movement of hospital clowns emerged and continues today.
“Laughter can be therapeutic, but with important caveats. Humor is a potent complementary method, not a substitution for core therapy. It is mainly used to treat stress aftermath, anxiety, psychosomatic symptoms, and to improve quality of life in chronic conditions and palliative care. This area of medicine is termed ‘laughter therapy’,” states Dr. Mikhail Vyborny.
Humor benefits not only patients but also physicians. Due to high workload, immense responsibility, and bureaucracy, doctors and nurses are more susceptible to professional burnout. Jokes and wordplay allow them to cope with emotional exhaustion.
“Laughter becomes a tool against burnout, a way to release tension and form a supportive community. Additionally, humor is employed to release muscular tension, express suppressed emotions, and ‘reset’ the nervous system,” the doctor explains.
There is even a specific stand-up initiative for medical staff called “Laughter-Soma.” Doctors, nurses, assistants, and healthcare administrators (and occasionally “professional” patients) are given the chance to joke about medical themes to a large audience. They undergo stand-up training and extensive rehearsals beforehand.
Physicians certainly possess a specific sense of humor; they are more fond than others of dark comedy and edgy jokes. There is a scientific rationale for this.
“Humor serves as a psychological defense mechanism when constantly confronted with suffering, mortality, high stress, and bureaucratic absurdity. It assists in creating distance from traumatic situations to maintain operational capacity,” explains surgeon Mikhail Vyborny.
This does not imply that medical stand-up is exclusively for clinicians. Patients and individuals without medical training also appreciate dark humor.
“The very existence of a successful medical stand-up festival, where doctors joke on professional topics, is the best confirmation of this phenomenon’s reality and demand. The project legitimizes this humor, transforming it from hushed conversations into public therapy,” says Dr. Mikhail Vyborny.
The Main Takeaway: Joking and Laughing Benefits Health
Laughter strengthens the heart, lungs, and muscles, increases endorphin release, supports immunity, and reduces stress. Crafting jokes is as beneficial as chuckling at them—it exercises the brain. Humor is also helpful for doctors; it assists in managing professional burnout.
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