By Matthew Berger/reporter
A room filled with NE Campus students learned Oct. 30 that a laugh a day keeps the doctor away.
“Students need to laugh more,” said NE mental health assistant professor Cynthia Savage during her presentation on The Reason Laughter Is Healthy.
Humor is infectious and triggers healthy physical changes.
“Have your abs ever felt sore after you laugh?” she said. ”That’s laughter’s health benefits for you.”
After a short humorous YouTube video about the most contagious laugh in the world, several students burst into tears because they were laughing so hard.
The best part of laughter being a medicine is that laughter is free, Savage said.
“There are mental payoffs too,” she said. “Laughter eases anxiety and fear.”
Laughter relieves stress, improves a person’s mood and creates a psychological distance, Savage said, which will help students avoid feeling overwhelmed.
“Laughter helps in social situations,” she said. “It helps enhance team work and promotes group bonding.”
Creating time for laughter is a key to ultimate euphoria, Savage said.
“Watch a funny movie, go to a comedy club or play with a pet,” she said. “It’ll boost your health.”
