{"id":4656,"date":"2022-04-04T08:00:15","date_gmt":"2022-04-04T12:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/125\/?p=4656"},"modified":"2023-10-25T10:43:26","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T14:43:26","slug":"link-between-laughter-and-memory-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/bostonnw\/massachusetts\/blog\/link-between-laughter-and-memory-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"The Link Between Laughter and Memory Loss"},"content":{"rendered":"

The saying \u201cLaughter is the best medicine\u201d has been around forever. Still, it\u2019s as relevant today as it was decades ago, maybe even more so given the high-stress levels so many people live with today, including our senior loved ones. It\u2019s well documented that stress is detrimental to many things, including physical illness, weight loss, and mental health. It\u2019s also a scientific fact that stress increases cortisol, a hormone that can cause physical damage and slowly increase memory loss. Fortunately, studies have shown that laughter is effective in decreasing cortisol levels.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Academic Studies Prove the Benefits of Laughter<\/h2>\n

One study<\/a> that scholars speaking on the link between laughter and memory loss frequently refer to was performed at Loma Linda University. The study was centered around twenty healthy seniors in their 60s and 70s; it measured their stress levels and their link to short-term memory.<\/p>\n

One group (the non-humor group) was asked to sit silently, not reading, talking, or using their phone, while the other group (the humor group) watched funny videos. After twenty minutes, the participants gave saliva samples and took a short memory test.<\/p>\n

You guessed it \u2013 the humor group that watched the funny videos had a much greater improvement in recall abilities, 43.6 percent, compared to 20.3 percent for the non-humor group. And the saliva test results showed a much higher reduction in cortisol \u2013 the stress hormone \u2013 for the humor group after watching the videos.\u00a0The non-humor group also benefited by unplugging from their phones and sitting quietly. Their recall ability did improve, and they had a slight decrease in their cortisol levels.<\/p>\n

Other studies have shown that laughter has more benefits than just memory improvement. For example, a study conducted by Vanderbilt University estimated that laughing for 10-15 minutes a day can burn up to 40 calories. And a study from the University of Maryland found a link between having a sense of humor and protection against heart disease.<\/p>\n

Help Your Senior Laugh More<\/h2>\n

At a loss for creative ways to help your senior loved one laugh more? Here are some simple ways to fill their lives, and yours, with some healthy laughter:<\/p>\n