Why Do We Laugh?

Laugh a little because it's your Wednesday wake up call! I’ve written a number of blogs on the value of healthy, hearty laughter. But have you ever wondered why human beings laugh? If you have you are not alone because to be perfectly honest, science has not solved this uniquely human mystery we call laughing. Some of the funniest things to read are articles by the evolutionists giving their views on how and why it may have originated within the human species. How about it mimics the panting of the ape family as one idea?

Okay, for those of us who are believers in God’s account of creation, we know that God put together human beings in a way that reflected His own image. Part of that functioning as a human being is being able to process information that causes a response we call laughter. Here’s some interesting facts taken from a website and while it attributes laughter to some evolutionary factor, the information is still quite interesting. If you want to read the entire article it can be found here:
http://www.coolquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/laughter.asp

Natural laughter is a two-part, spontaneous, response to humor, that has physiological, psychological, and physical benefits. Most agree that we laugh when we find something to be humorous, yet different reasons exist for what we find to be humorous. Additionally, different things are humorous to us at different stages of life. Laughter, a physiological response to humor, can be broken down into two parts.

The first is a set of gestures, and the second is the production of sound. The brain forces to conduct both responses simultaneously. From a physiological standpoint, a "sensor" in the brain responds to laughter by triggering other neural circuits in the brain, which, in turn, generate more laughter. Oddly enough, laughter is an orderly response, and almost occurs "spontaneously" during pauses at the end of phrases, earning it the name the punctuation effect. Human beings are the only species capable of laughter, and the average adult does so approximately 17 times per day.

Good health is one of the many benefits of laughter. Laughter reduces our stress levels by reducing the level of stress hormones, and also helps us cope with serious illnesses. Physiologically, laughter promotes healing, by lowering the blood pressure, and by increasing the vascular blood flow and the oxygenation of the blood. Physical fitness stemming from laughter is a benefit known to few. Scientists estimate that laughing 100 times is equivalent to a 10-minute workout on a rowing machine, or to 15 minutes on a stationary exercise bike. The mere act of laughing exercises the diaphragm, as well as the abdominal, respiratory, facial, leg, and back muscles.

Another benefit of laughter is that it improves our over-all mental health. Pent up negative emotions, such as anger, fear, and sadness, can cause biochemical changes in our bodies that can produce a harmful effect. Laughter provides a harmless outlet for these negative emotions, and provides a coping mechanism for dealing with difficult or stressful situations.

Other studies I read commented on the comparison of children laughing versus adults. Children actually begin to laugh as early as 3 months and it appears the peak years for exuberant laughter is between 5 and 6 years old. One interesting thing is the admitted fact from the scientific community how little is known about the brain mechanisms that produce laughing. One thing is clear; we all would do well to laugh more, especially as we learn to see the ‘funny’ in the life we are living.

The Bible does mention the subject of laughing and laughter. There’s over forty references but with different meanings and applications. There’s also the biblical concept of joy and rejoicing that are important in this discussion. You cannot read some of the parables Jesus told and not see His wonderful sense of humor. In the end, we should be thankful for God’s design that includes the response of laughter. Read those comments again about how it can improve your health, lower your stress levels, and even give you a little bit of a workout. Do we serve a great God or what? To be honest I’ve begun to chuckle as I am finishing up this blog. Find something to laugh about and thank God that you can! Amen. ……More later.