REVIEW - Humor and laughter may influence health

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eCAM 2008 5(1):37-40; doi:10.1093/ecam/nem041

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Review

Humor and Laughter May Influence Health: III. Laughter and Health Outcomes

Payne 1 and Cecile Lengacher2

1Indiana State University College of Nursing and 2University of South Florida

Abstract

This is part three of a four-part series reviewing the evidence on how

humor influences physiological and psychological well-being. The first

article included basic background information, definitions and a

review of the theoretical underpinnings for this area of research. The

second article discussed use of humor as a complementary therapy

within various clinical samples, as well as evidence concerning how a

sense of humor influences physiological and psychological wellbeing.

This third article examines how laughter influences health outcomes;

including muscle tension, cardio-respiratory functioning and various

stress physiology measures.

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Read the entire article here:

http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/5/1/37

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Not an MD