Have you ever spurt milk out your nose while struggling to hold in a giant bark of laughter? Have you ever laughed so hard you cried or doubled over with a belly ache? No worries; many researchers say laughter is good for you.

The idea of laughter being good for you isn’t new and crosses cultural lines. Greeks would include a visit to the “home of comedians” as part of their healing process. The American Ojibwa Indian tribe had clown-doctors who helped treat their sick. And some hospitals welcome volunteer clowns who’ll entertain ailing children, knowing laughter will help the kids feel better. 

Studies have confirmed that there’s a mind/body connection, and that some of laughter’s benefits include making you healthier, helping you learn and creating close bonds with the people around  you. 

What can you catch, but not throw? Your breath!
How does laughter improve your health? When you laugh, several changes occur in your body. Your oxygen flow and blood circulation are improved, and your blood vessels expand and contract more easily. These changes help improve your immune system, which is the part of your body that fights sickness. Laughing also releases beta endorphins, or “feel good hormones,” into the body. 

When you swim, ride your bike or run around the track during P.E., you get the same type of exercise as you do when laughing. Do you ever feel tired after a fit of giggles? That’s because you just got a full body workout—and what a fun way to do it!

What happened when the teacher tied the students’ shoelaces together? They went on a class trip!
How does laughter help you learn? Think about your favorite teacher—the one you’ve learned from and enjoyed the most. Is he or she a fun teacher who balances learning with humor and fun projects? When you laugh, both sides of your brain are activated. This eases stress and muscle tension which helps you solve problems more creatively. It also keeps your brain alert, allowing you to retain more information. 

What word is always spelled incorrectly? “Incorrectly!”
And isn’t laughter best when shared? When your friends are laughing like crazy, it’s easy to get carried away and laugh with them. This is why comedy shows on television use “laugh tracks” or recorded laughter. Makers of these shows know that if you hear laughter, you’re more likely to laugh along with it. And laughter does spread; some even say a case of the giggles is easier to catch than a cold.

Have you ever heard of a laughter epidemic where it spread without control? There are actualy documented cases of such events! One epidemic occurred in 1962, where contagious laughter spread uncontrollably throughout several tribes bordering Lake Victoria in Tanganyika and Uganda, on the African continent. 

Beginning with just two girls and eventually afflicting over 1,000 people, this event lasted for about two and a half years before finally coming to an end. Officials were forced to temporarily close more than 14 schools. But I wouldn’t suggest starting a laughter epidemic on your own; it’s doubtful your school would think it’s very funny.

Where did the ship go when it was sick? It went to see a dock.
If laughter is good for you, does being sad or angry for long periods of time harm you? Studies say yes. While laughter has healing qualities, negative emotions create bad stress which weakens your immune system, opening the door to poor health. Researchers have found that people who experience these emotions for long periods of time have double the risk of disease than those who have a positive outlook. Besides being bad for you, feeling this way is just no fun.

What did one eye say to the other? Something between us smells.
Of course Brussels sprout, cauliflower and peas may be good for you, too. But it’s unlikely they’re as much fun to swallow as a good chuckle. So go ahead and laugh at your friends’ cheesy jokes, or laugh at your own mistakes. Sure, your grandma might tell you that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but laughter just may be the best medicine of all.

Julie Musil lives, writes and laughs in Agua Dulce, Calif.