'What is good?' - secondary research

Facts (proving why laughter is good)

- Laughing 100 times = 15 minutes on the exercise bike.
- Vigorous laughter increases the heart rate, deepens the breathing rate and uses many muscles in the face, stomach and diaphragm.
- Laughter releases anger, fear, guilt, anxiety and tension.
- Research has revealed that chimps, gorillas and even rats laugh when tickled.
- 80% of our laughter occurs during everyday comments in everyday social situations.
- Laughing is good for the heart and the lungs - even the expectation of laughter is enough to increase the production of endorphins - the body's natural painkiller.
- Jokes increases our sense of belonging and psychologically connects us with others (feelings of alienation, a major factor in depression, is counteracted).
-Laughter really is good for you and scientists have now begun to prove what everyone else takes for granted. The study of humour and laughter is gelotology, from the Greek 'gelos' and 'geloto' meaning to laugh, laughter, laughing.

Quotes

"Laughter is an instant vacation." MILTON BERLE

"The most wasted of days is one without laughter." E. E. CUMMINGS

"A man isn't poor if he can still laugh." RAYMOND HITCHCOCK

"What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul." YIDDISH PROVERB

"I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose." WOODY ALLEN

"At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities." JEAN HOUSTON

"Even if there is nothing to laugh about, laugh on credit." AUTHOR UNKNOWN