October 2024
Even in a laboratory setting, laughing is more effective than artificial tear drops, according to a study published in The British Medical Journal.
Researchers in China recruited 299 participants with dry eye syndrome, a condition characterised by “chronic subjective ocular discomfort, tear film instability, and visual disturbance”. Laughing exercises were conducted with half the participants, who were instructed to vocalise, “Hee hee hee, hah hah hah, cheese cheese cheese, cheek cheek cheek, hah hah hah hah hah hah”, 30 times per each five-minute session.
Participants in the control group had it less fun. They received a 0.1% sodium hyaluronic acid eye drop (artificial tears) four times daily.
While both methods alleviated symptoms, the laughter therapy was about 15 percent more effective.
The results are powerful evidence of the mind-body connection and the body’s inherent self-healing capacity.
Why study this particular disease? According to the researchers, “studies across multiple geographies and populations have reported the correlation between dry eye disease and mental health, particularly in negative emotions such as depression and anxiety”.
Scientific studies indicate, for instance, that happy people are less likely to get sick than unhappy people. It is sometimes said that “laughter is the best medicine”. This is more than a saying — laughter’s therapeutic benefits were described by Norman Cousins in the 1970s.
This study may also show The Placebo Effect in action.
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