Lauging is not only very healthy, it can effectively have the same effect as a painkiller. These are the findings of an international investigation in which the Free University of Amsterdam has been involved as well.

 

The research shows that with a good belly-laugh ‘endorphin’ is released. That is a substance that softens the pain. “A quarter of watching a comedy increases pain tolerance all in 10 percent.”, claim scientists.

 

The researchers came to their results by placing the test subjects in uncomfortable positions. They would get, for example, an excessively tight blood meter, or an ice-cold object against their skin. Once the pain threshold was determined, the subjects were shown a comedy, a nature documentary or an informative program. The group that got comedy, turned out to be the least susceptible to feel pain. But only if there were genuinely laughing out loud.

 

We laugh much easier in a group, claim the researchers. According to the Dutch Professor Mark van Vugt, laughing creates a positive environment in a group almost immediately.