Well, that's because laughter is scientifically proven to benefit mental health as laughing releases endorphins, the body's feel-good chemicals, which provides short-term relief from tension and worry, reducing stress and strengthening social connections.

Dr Norman Cousins - long-time editor of the Saturday Review, global peacemaker, receiver of hundreds of awards including the UN Peace Medal and nearly 50 honorary doctorate degrees - was about 50 years old when he was diagnosed with a connective tissue disease and a condition known as ankylosing spondylitis. Doctors told him that he had only a one-in-500 chance of recovery.

Dr Cousins discovered he felt less pain and fewer symptoms while he was enjoying something that made him laugh. Therefore, he prescribed himself regular doses of laughter, brought on by watching movies or TV shows. As a result, Cousins lived for another 25 years after his diagnosis. Furthermore, he began to study the medical effects of laughter with the support of California University Hospital. Since then, researchers have continued to validate the pain relieving effects and benefits of laughter. Some studies have shown laughter strengthens the immune system as it triggers the nervous system's relaxation response. A good laugh can relieve physical tension, leaving the muscles relaxed for as long as 45 minutes.

Per the Newport Academy in the US, which is a teen rehabilitation centre that provides care and treatment for trauma, mental health issues, eating disorders, and substance abuse, states that laughter:

Therefore, laughter increases our stress resilience.

The Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor dedicates its time to promoting the use of humour in psychiatric settings to treat serious mental illness. The association promotes health and wellness by stimulating a playful discovery, expression or appreciation of the absurdity or incongruity of life's situations. This intervention may be used as a complementary treatment of illness to facilitate healing or coping, whether physical, emotional, cognitive, social or spiritual.

Research done by Dr Ramon Mora-Ripoll, medical scientific director at Organizacién Mundial de la Risa in Barcelona, Spain, showed that laughter releases physical and emotional tension, elevates mood, enhances cognitive functioning, and increases friendliness. Therefore, it would be appropriate for laughter to be used as a complementary/alternative medicine in the prevention and treatment of illnesses.

In a paper written by doctors Beermann and Ruch, research was conducted using 126 psychology students. It was found that those who laughed most frequently at images of themselves also showed fewer signs of negative emotion.

In India, laughter yoga was developed by physician Madan Kataria, based on the idea that making ourselves laugh is beneficial for our health. Laughter yoga is a combination of breathing techniques, simple movements, and simulated laughter.

Research published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found that laughter yoga was more effective than physical exercise in alleviating the effects of depression in older women. Brain scans have also revealed that our brains respond to another person's laughter by preparing our facial muscles to join in.

World famous psychologist Steve Wilson, who has spent 30 years specialising in applied and therapeutic humour sums it up by saying: "Every day there is more news about the power of humour and laughter to heal us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Every system of the body responds to laughter in some important, positive, healing way and together we can lead the world to health, happiness and peace through laughter.

Dr Anthony Perrone is a college counsellor at Trinity Anglican College. The views expressed in this column are Dr Perrone's and not necessarily those of Trinity Anglican College.