Research
Collaboration
InHappiness supports and collaborates in
happiness and Aerobic Laughter therapy research in
many fields and actively seeks to increase
widespread collaboration into new fields of research.
Some areas of specific interest are listed below as
suggestions for graduate students and researchers.
If you are interested in research into the specific
effects of JOYGYM laughter therapy please contact us for
information and discussion.
Asthma and Allergies - research by Berk, Kimata, and
others as well as substantial anecdotal evidence
strongly indicates benefits of laughter for persons
suffering from asthma and allergies.
Arthritis - Significant reductions of serum IL-6
levels have been seen in rheumatoid arthritis
patients after laughter. There is evidence that
monoclonal antibody against IL-6 receptor is
effective in the treatment of RA. (Nakajima, Hirai,
and Yoshino, 1999).Laughter is also thought to have
an effect on the activity of Natural Killer (NK)
cells. Research shows reduced levels of NK cell
numbers and activity in patients undergoing stress.
(Wooten, 1996). Unpublished research (Gee, Kataria
2007) shows strong evidence of arthritis pain
relief and increased mobility. Recent research by
Slavich demonstrate inflammatory activity resulting
from social stress - Aerobic Laughter therapy has
been shown to dramatically reduce social stress.
Aerobic Laughter has been shown to effectively
counter depression that is commonly associated with
arthritis.
Cancer - Research by Slavitch and others shows links
from stress to inflammation and cancer. Research by
Berk and others show laughter's powerful impact on
the immune system. Laughter therapy has been widely
adopted to improve quality of life of cancer
patients. There are many interesting avenues for
research on the impact of Aerobic Laughter therapy
on cancer prevention, cancer progression, cancer
remission, and the quality of life of cancer
patients.
Depression - A six month USAID funded study clearly
demonstrated Aerobic Laughter's dramatic ability to
overcome depression in a matter of weeks without
antidepressants. Depression is associated with
almost every serious illness, and has been shown to
speed disease progression and increase mortality in
HIV.
Diabetes - A small study of ten patients in Japan
with Type 2 diabetes suggests that laughter may
improve blood sugar control by regulating the immune
system and preventing inflammation from undermining
blood sugar levels. A study done in Japan at the
Foundation for Advancement of International Science,
Bio-Laboratory, found that laughter helps regulate
gene expression to help control type II Diabetes. An
unpublished study from India shows significant
reduction in blood sugar levels after laughter when
compared to exercise. A study from Lee Berk of Loma
Linda University found that after only two months
laughing patients had a better HDL ("good")
cholesterol level than other patients, and that
after four months they had lower blood levels of
inflammatory chemicals. Unpublished research (Gee,
Kataria 2007) from India clearly demonstrates that
laughter therapy can reduce or eliminate diabetes.
This is confirmed by a great deal of anecdotal
evidence.
Education - The introduction of laughter therapy in
Indian schools dramatically boosted learner and
teacher engagement and increased academic
performance (in once school by more than 10%), while
reducing disciplinary problems, violence and
bullying.
Emotional Intelligence - Perhaps one of the most
dramatic findings in the six month study on the
impact of Aerobic Laughter on highly stressed
caregivers was the very large increases in emotional
intelligence Bar-On EQ demonstrated. Given the
importance of EQ in all aspects of life success and
performance, we hope to see further studies on the
use of Aerobic Laughter to increase emotional
intelligence.
Headaches & Migraines - In providing Aerobic
Laughter therapy to tens of thousands of people we
constantly hear that headaches and even severe
migraines quickly reduce or disappear. This is in
keeping with the dramatic reductions in stress
resulting from Aerobic Laughter therapy, and recent
research by Slavitch linking stress to inflammation.
Healing and Recovery - Its is accepted that stress,
anger, depression, and pessimism impair the immune
response, increase surgical recovery and
wound-healing times. Many people state that
laughter, happiness and optimism speed healing and
recovery, but there is not much specific research
yet. Many studies show laughter's powerful positive
impact on the immune system. A five-year study led
from the University of Leeds indicates that laughter
can significantly speed healing of chronic leg
ulcers.
Heart disease - Research by Berk and Fry indicates
better recovery from heart attack by laughing
patients. In one of Berk's studies, 48 laughing
heart patients displayed fewer abnormal heart rates,
lower blood pressure, and required less heart
medication. after one year only 8% of the laughing
patients suffered a heart attack compared with 42%
of those in standard therapy. Later research by
Miller clearly shows dramatic benefits of laughter
for heart patients including boosting blood flow and
reducing your of developing heart disease. Research
from S. Karger AG, in Basel indicates that laughter
can alleviate some of the lasting effects of heart
attacks with less medication required and fewer
repeat attacks.
Hypertension - Miller's research showed that blood
flow was reduced by about 35 percent in stressed
volunteers, but was increased by 22 percent in
volunteers who laughed.
HIV/AIDS - A number of important studies confirm
that stress, depression and negative affect speed
HIV progression and increase mortality. Other work
shows that a positive mindset slow disease
progression and reduce mortality. Our work clearly
indicates that Aerobic Laughter therapy dramatically
reduces stress and depression and increases
positivity. HIV caregivers providing Aerobic
Laughter therapy to patients consistently report
reduced stress and depression, increased hope,
better relations with caregivers and their friends
and family, better adherence to medication, improved
condition and self care, increased support group
attendance, and perhaps most importantly
increased adherence to medication. Research
confirming increased production of immune system
components including T-cells due to laughter has not
yet been duplicated with HIV patients.
Pain - American physician James Walsh, wrote in 1928
that laughter appeared to reduce the level of pain
experienced following surgery. Norman Cousins' 1979
book Anatomy of an Illness highlighted how ten
minutes of laughter provided two hours of pain-free
sleep despite near-constant pain caused by ankylosing spondylitis. Berk showed that laughter
triggers the release of endorphins - a natural
opiate painkiller produced by our body, and in
another study that even the expectation of laughter
triggered the release of endorphins. Studies by
Wooten and Kalat in 1995 confirmed the release
of endorphins through laughter. Studies by
Weisenberg, Nevo, Stuber, and Schmitt confirm that
laughter can increase pain tolerance. Anecdotal
evidence from thousands of people in laughter
therapy confirms increased ability to cope with
pain.
Productivity. Economist Andrew Oswald showed that
happy workers can be 25% more productive that
unhappy workers. This is confirmed in our work where
we have seen productivity increased of more than 50%
coupled with decrease in absenteeism and sick leave
of more than 50%.
PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: our work with
highly stressed HIV caregivers leads us to believe
that Aerobic Laughter Therapy significantly speed
the treatment and resolution of PTSD.
Stress: Aerobic Laughter dramatically decreases
stress in a unique combination of
ways including the reduction of levels of stress-related compounds in the blood, improved coping, the
development of stress mindfulness that allows real
time stress response override, the reprogramming of
limbic stressor responses, and the reframing of
stressors.
