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A Good Laugh
“A laugh is a mighty good thing,” Herman Melville, the author of Moby Dick, wrote. Laughter normally cheers us up. It can even help us make friends. But how? And how do we catch it and spread it to others? The Giggle Bug When your friends laugh, you may feel like laughing too. Most people do. Laughter is like dominoes; when one domino falls, the others fall, too. Scientists aren’t sure why laughter is contagious. Many believe brain signals are involved. When you hear laughter, your ears send a message to your brain. Some scientists think the front part of your brain then tells your face, “Laughter is good. You laugh too!” So you automatically get ready to smile, even if you don’t know why. Giggling also feels good. Some scientists think “feel good” chemicals called endorphins flow through our bodies when we laugh. We feel happy and relaxed. That helps people around us feel relaxed and ready to laugh too. Contagious laughter can sometimes spiral out of control though. A laughter epidemic hit Tanzania in 1962 when 3 girls in a boarding school giggled. Most of the students caught their “giggle bug” and started laughing uncontrollably. The school was forced to shut down. Over the next 2.5 years the laughter spread to about 1000 people across 2 countries and closed 14 schools! Germ-Fighting Grins Scientists are studying how laughter keeps us healthy. It may help us fight germs, breathe more air and pump more blood. It helps us forget about our pains and worries. This is why some hospitals use clowns to help patients laugh and feel better. So by laughing, you may be keeping your friends healthy too. Animal Chuckles Did you know some animals laugh? Animal laughter sounds different from human laughter. Chimpanzees, gorillas, and apes pant and make happy faces. Dogs pant too. Even rats laugh; their chirp sounds like a high squeak. Animals laugh to let each other know they’re playing, not fighting. This helps them get along. Friendly Fun Laughter helps us communicate. We laughed before we talked. Without speech, cavemen couldn’t say, “Hello!” so they laughed instead. Babies start laughing around three months old to tell us what they like. Laughter helps us make friends. Who would you rather be with – someone who is gloomy or someone who laughs a lot? Even rats like to play with rats that chirp a lot. “Laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep, and you weep alone.” You don’t need jokes to make people laugh. In fact, most laughter isn’t about being funny. See if your friends giggle as they say, “Hi!” Greetings aren’t normally funny, but you and your friends may laugh anyway. That’s because laughter is more about being friendly than being funny. Laughter brings people together. You’ll laugh more if you’re not alone. So have a party with your friends and family and have a good laugh!
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Here’s a riddle for you. What is contagious but good for you and your friends? Laughter!