We hurt in different ways – both emotionally and physically, which are not exclusive of each other, either. And though we often accept the old adage of “time heals all wounds”, in the moment, it is often of little solace in the moment. There might just be the relief we need in another expression, however: studies and research have thrown their considerable modern-day weight behind “laughter is the best medicine”.

Okay, maybe it’s not the best, but there definitely is some value in it, and it also has the remedial benefit of immediacy. Of course, if you’re hurting from something, humor most likely shouldn’t be your only course of action, but it sure can be a pretty good start.

Pain is an output of the brain designed to protect you, but it’s also not immutable. It can change over time. The way humor may best come into play for non-physical pain is as distraction – with one of the most successful examples of its application being in cognitive-behavioral pain-relief techniques. 

To see it in action, there’s likely no better study than the remarkable true story of Hunter “Patch” Adams, who was once played by Robin Williams on the silver screen: A physician, comedian, clown, and author who specifically uses humor to treat patients, despite the medical community of his early career being staunchly against the practice. 

Hollywood aside, here are five of the best reasons why humor and laughter are great tools to heal pain:

1. It gives you a harmless high

Laughter can give you a natural high. That much is undeniable. And it’s so much more than a buffer from daily life stressors. Laughter releases happy hormones known as endorphins, and aside from their pain regulation tendencies, they also simply make you feel good, and studies suggest that those laughter-infused endorphins activate the same euphoric effects associated with opioids, but without the dangers of harmful addiction. 

2. It’s a good kind of contagious 

Some body language experts suggest that you tend look at the one you feel closest to, or in some instances, are most attracted to, when you laugh. But it’s not an exact science. Studies, however, have shown that you can “catch” it, in a sense: laughter is actually contagious. More than that, it provides important social benefits, as seen through millennia, as it could promote cooperation and positive communication.

3. It relaxes the body

Whether you’re laughing alone or with friends, it can relieve stress and help your mind and body relax. This relaxation has to do with the cumulative effects of laughter — the release of endorphins, enhancing your intake of oxygen-rich air, lower cortisol levels, stimulates your heart, lungs, and muscles, and boosts for your mood in general. And it’s so easy to gain access to this free relaxant: Just watch a funny movie, stand-up comedian, or track down blooper reels on YouTube, for instance. If you think about it, having a hearty laugh is probably easier to attain (or at least less time consuming) than lacing up and going for a run, or filling the tub at the right temperature to soak yourself in a bubble bath.

Learn more about the psychology of happiness in The Choice to be Happy Short Course. 

4. It can boost your immune system

Though it may seem unlikely, laughing can actually boost your immune system, which is an incredible long-term affect to hearing a great joke, or reminiscing on past lived hilarity with a friend. Negative thoughts – of which we are hard-wired to focus on – manifest into chemical reactions which leads to distress. More stress in your system so often equals decreased immunity. Positive thoughts, however, have the power to release stress-fighting neuropeptides: chemical messengers released by neurons. 

5. It actually can ease your pain

For the old and young alike, humor therapy has been linked to an elevated pain threshold (that is to say, a higher tolerance for enduring pain) given its triggering of endorphin-release. Chronic pain, for older people in particular, is often associated with a lack of life satisfaction, feeding negative moods. This accepted pain then gives rise to loneliness, social isolation, and depression. So, from distraction to pain-blocking, laughter has the power to lessen anguish.

Not everyone can laugh on demand, and sometimes it’s just not a viable option to heal your pain. But you can still find joy in the things you love – be it yoga or journaling – and receive similar psychological benefits as you would from a big chuckle. Just remember, happiness can be a choice if you let it, and that happiness can breathe new life into your well-being and healing journey.

Learn more about the psychology of happiness in The Choice to be Happy Short Course. 

All of the content on our website is thoroughly researched to ensure that the information shared is evidence-based. For more information, please visit the academic journals and other resources that influenced this article: Humor Therapy: Relieving Chronic Pain and Enhancing Happiness for Older Adults; Evaluation of a Humor Training for Patients with Chronic Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial; How to Use Humor in Clinical Settings; Laughing Away the Pain: A Narrative Review of Humor, Sense of Humor, and Pain; Ways That Humor Can Heal; Healing Through Humor: Is Laughter Really the Best Medicine?; It’s No Joke: Why Laughter Kills Pain; Social Laughter is Correlated with an Elevated Pain Threshold; Why the Pain of Romantic Rejection Feels Like a Punch in the Gut; Why Laughter is Contagious; Stress Relief from Laughter? It’s no Joke