{"id":5147,"date":"2018-02-10T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-02-09T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mindchamps.org\/au\/blog\/the-many-benefits-of-laughter\/"},"modified":"2021-02-02T11:01:45","modified_gmt":"2021-02-02T03:01:45","slug":"the-many-benefits-of-laughter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/franchise.mindchamps.org\/au\/blog\/the-many-benefits-of-laughter\/","title":{"rendered":"The Many Benefits of Laughter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Giggles\u00a0that Make the \u2018Grey Matter\u2019 Grow!<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Everybody loves to laugh \u2013 it is, without question, one of the great gifts that life\u00a0has to\u00a0offer us, in an often-much-too-serious world.<\/p>\n

There is, however, a good deal of unnecessary disagreement about when laughter is appropriate and when it isn\u2019t \u2013 even for young children.<\/p>\n

Laughter generally has the stigma of being appropriate only in relaxed social situations. There is a general unstated consensus that the activities of work and learning should be more serious endeavours.<\/p>\n

It may surprise you to learn that, in fact, laughter\u00a0actually promotes\u00a0thinking and problem-solving at a higher level. It makes\u00a0you healthier and happier, and it\u00a0actually grows\u00a0connections within your brain!<\/p>\n

In terms of brain research, laughter has a serious scientific side. Research conducted over the past 30 years or so demonstrates that, for human beings, the mere act of laughing has many physiological, neurological, cognitive and psychological benefits.<\/p>\n

Laughter and Learning<\/h4>\n

Renowned psychologist and philosopher, Dr Jean Houston, once wrote:<\/p>\n

At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities<\/b><\/p>\n

Recent brain research has discovered that laughter can be a very powerful ingredient in the learning process. In formal learning situations, it may appear that laughter is just children being silly, but laughter\u00a0actually enables\u00a0better connectivity between the brain\u2019s neurons \u2013 which helps children learn more quickly and store information more permanently.<\/p>\n

From a psycho-behavioural perspective, this phenomenon is related to neural patterning and how the brain lays down information.<\/b><\/p>\n

All learning passes through the limbic system (the emotions), before it is distributed to the rest of the brain. This means that the emotion we are experiencing at the time we learn something is stored, along with the learning, when we lay down long-term memories \u2013 and when, at some later stage, we recall that piece of learning, the emotional resonance stored with it also resurfaces.<\/p>\n

If\u00a0I associate a\u00a0particular learning\u00a0with a negative emotion (like fear, anxiety, confusion, boredom or frustration, for example), I am, as a consequence, reluctant to access and use that information. This is because, subconsciously, I do not wish to relive that negative emotion.<\/p>\n

This avoidance is an example of what psychologists call \u2018negative reinforcement\u2019 \u2013 not doing something\u00a0in order to\u00a0avoid repeating a negative emotional experience.<\/p>\n

It is the source, in older children and teens, of statements like\u2019 I hate maths\/English\/history\u2019. They\u00a0do not\u00a0\u2018hate\u2019 the subject. Rather, it is an attempt to avoid the negative emotions associated with the learning, and the resistance translates to an inability to perform \u2013 creating further discomfort and reluctance \u2013 a negative emotional cycle that can affect their future learning success.<\/p>\n

It is a cycle that, sadly, often has its roots in a child\u2019s pre-school learning experiences.<\/p>\n

Laughter, on the other hand, is one of the most positive experiences in life.<\/b><\/p>\n

Any information or learning associated with an emotional state that produces laughter will produce a \u2018positive reinforcement\u2019 \u2013 repeating a behaviour\u00a0in order to\u00a0re-experience a positive emotion.<\/p>\n

Associating laughter with learning encourages a \u2018positive learning cycle\u2019 and a positive long-term relationship with learning.<\/p>\n

Watch babies and young children sharing an activity which makes them laugh.<\/strong><\/p>\n

They are quite capable of repeating the same action or pattern of\u00a0behaviour for as long as it elicits a laugh. And remember, for young children, repetition of this sort (not boring rote repetition, but fun repetitive behaviour) is the way that learning is cemented in the neural networks \u2013 the foundation \u2018root-system\u2019 \u2013 of the brain.<\/p>\n

Laughter also makes learning more enjoyable \u2013 and if learning is more enjoyable, children are more likely to want to learn!<\/p>\n

According to Dr William Fry, Professor Emeritus at Stanford Medical School:<\/p>\n

Laughter aids memory and increases alertness and concentration.<\/b><\/p>\n

Laughter, fun and humour serve an important development function for young children,\u00a0as a way to\u00a0express their growing powers of reasoning and creativity. The educational value of this bond between laughter and learning is inestimable.<\/p>\n

With laughter as an element in the learning process, children will learn and retain more of what you teach them, and you will both enjoy every minute of it.<\/p>\n

The Physiological Benefits of Laughter<\/h4>\n

When a person laughs, carbon dioxide leave the body and is replaced by oxygen-rich air. This stimulates the production of anti-inflammatory agents, encourages muscles to relax and oxygenates muscles and other tissues all over the body, from the scalp to the legs, all the while reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol.<\/p>\n

The physiological study of laughter is called \u2018<\/b>gelotology<\/b>\u2019 (from the Greek \u2018<\/b>gelos<\/b>\u2019\/\u2019<\/b>gelotos<\/b>\u2019 \u2013 meaning laughter).<\/b><\/p>\n

Gelotology\u00a0reveals that laughter seems to be produced via a circuit that runs through many regions of the brain. Three main areas of the brain that are activated during laughter are:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The cognitive (thinking) regions of the brain<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 which help you \u2018get\u2019 a joke. This includes parts of the frontal lobe near the forehead \u2013 a key area for future logical thinking and decision-making<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. The motor regions of the brain<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 which help move the\u00a0muscles of the face to smile and laugh<\/li>\n
    2. The emotional regions of the brain<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 which help produce the happy feelings that accompany a cheerful experience<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      The Health Benefits of L<\/b>aughter<\/b><\/h4>\n

      Just a few\u00a0fun\u00a0experiences a week will elevate serotonin levels and help boost your immune system and improve your health \u2013 and, by extension, your longevity (life expectancy).<\/p>\n

      A Science F<\/b>act:<\/b><\/p>\n

      Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, sometimes known as the \u2018feel-good\u2019 chemical. It has a powerful effect on mood and anxiety, and is associated with feelings of serenity and optimism.<\/b><\/p>\n

      Serotonin also has significant positive effects on other key areas \u2013 including sleep, appetite, pain relief and blood pressure.<\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

      Increasingly, studies are demonstrating that laughter and humour boost immunity, diminish pain, and help people deal with the stress of life.<\/p>\n

      Incongruity and Laughter – Humour as Training for Creative Thinking<\/b><\/h4>\n

      Children enjoy incongruity.<\/p>\n

      Incongruity means something that is out of place, implausible or absurd \u2013 a logical or causal disconnect \u2013 such as a cat wearing a hat, or a mum wearing a moustache. Both these occurrences would cause laughter in pre-school children.<\/p>\n

      Children love incongruity in language, particularly the stringing together of rhyming words or nonsense syllables. Because language is supposed to be logical and orderly, and sentences don\u2019t usually rhyme, it seems runny to children when the usual \u2018roles\u2019 don\u2019t seem to apply.<\/p>\n

      Almost anything that goes against what children consider normal and predictable can make them laugh.<\/h4>\n

      Children also like to push the boundaries of what is considered socially acceptable, just to see how far they can be pushed. This is why\u00a0\u2018 bathroom\u00a0humour\u2019 is popular with pre-schoolers.<\/p>\n

      Pre-schoolers know that certain words are unacceptable and they may try to use them deliberately for shock value. Often the expression on a parent\u2019s face is the source of much laughter and entertainment for young children.<\/p>\n

      So, how does this love of incongruity help children develop their learning and thinking skills?<\/p>\n

      Learning is, by its very nature, an alteration of the status quo, a change in the universe of what was previously known. The new world created by\u00a0new knowledge, is, therefore, incongruous, with the old one to a greater or lesser extent. Humour helps children prepare for this reality, by making such \u2018disconnects\u2019 fun \u2013 and nothing to be disturbed by.<\/p>\n

      Similarly, creativity \u2013 like humour \u2013 involved making novel and previously un-thought-of connections in response to a given problem or goal<\/p>\n

      A child who enjoys humour \u2013 who looks for the fun in the \u2018creative disconnect\u2019 \u2013 is a creative adult in training.<\/p>\n

      Adapted from Pre-school Parenting Secrets – Talking with the Sky,\u00a0Chapter 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Written by Brian Caswell, David Chiem and Kylie Bell<\/em><\/p>\n

      Brian Caswell<\/strong>\u00a0 is an internationally acclaimed award-winning author and a respected educationalist with over 35 years of experience in the areas of public and private education. As Dean of Research and\u00a0Programme\u00a0Development at\u00a0MindChamps, Brian has dedicated himself to creating\u00a0programmes\u00a0that enhance students\u2019 learning, active recall and thinking processes,\u00a0taking into account\u00a0the latest research into how the brain learns and stores information.<\/p>\n

      David\u00a0Chiem<\/strong>\u00a0 has a distinguished background in film, television and theatre and is widely acknowledged as an international expert in the integration of study, theatrical techniques and Champion Mindset Strategies. He is the founder, chairman and group CEO of\u00a0MindChamps. David is a man who has crossed many bridges of success to achieve a remarkable synthesis of art, education and entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n

      Kylie Bell<\/strong>\u00a0 is a\u00a0highly respected\u00a0educator and researcher. With a Master of Education, she has specialized in Early Childhood research for several years. Kylie\u2019s fields of expertise encompass educational, developmental and cognitive psychology, literacy, thinking and creativity,\u00a0She\u00a0also brings her extensive experience in drama and performance to her work with children.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Giggles\u00a0that Make the \u2018Grey Matter\u2019 Grow! Everybody loves to laugh \u2013 it is, without question, one of the great gifts that life\u00a0has to\u00a0offer us, in an often-much-too-serious world. There is, however, a good deal of unnecessary disagreement about when laughter is appropriate and when it isn\u2019t \u2013 even for young children. Laughter generally has the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5148,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[883],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[2873,2879,2679,428,672,2880,2884,2861,2877,2878,165,2096,2885,2881,2882,2886,2876,699,2883,2839],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/franchise.mindchamps.org\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5147"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/franchise.mindchamps.org\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/franchise.mindchamps.org\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/franchise.mindchamps.org\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/franchise.mindchamps.org\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5147"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/franchise.mindchamps.org\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5147\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7785,"href":"https:\/\/franchise.mindchamps.org\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5147\/revisions\/7785"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/franchise.mindchamps.org\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/franchise.mindchamps.org\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5147"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/franchise.mindchamps.org\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5147"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/franchise.mindchamps.org\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5147"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/franchise.mindchamps.org\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=5147"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}