Laughing with friends linked to lower risk of disability

Laughter is good for the soul, and it's great for health, too — including your heart, lungs, and stress control. Now, a study published in the February 2022 issue of Preventive Medicine suggests that laughing with friends is associated with a reduced risk of developing functional disability — that is, problems performing essential everyday activities (such as bathing or dressing). Researchers evaluated the self-reported laughing habits of more than 12,000 people in Japan ages 65 or older. Scientists asked which types of situations made participants laugh, how often they laughed, and with whom they laughed. Compared with people who typically laughed alone, people who typically laughed in a conversation with friends had a 30% reduced risk of being functionally disabled. The study was observational and doesn't prove that laughing was the cause of people's improved physical function. But we know that a sense of social connectedness is tied to many aspects of good health. And what better way to feel connected than sharing a laugh with friends?

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