Here’s What Happens to Your Body When You Laugh

Doctors explain how a good giggle can elevate your health, extend your lifespan, and even strengthen muscles.

It was probably the least funny atmosphere anyone could imagine: My daughter’s funeral. Yet, as I stood up to say a few words, my sister leaned over. “Hey,” she whispered. “Don’t forget to put the FUN in funeral!”

The joke itself isn’t that funny, but in the moment it struck me as so absurd that I couldn’t help but crack up. Which made her start laughing. And then we both couldn’t stop laughing. We laughed until we cried and…I felt my heart heal, just a little bit.

I’ve thought about that moment a lot since then. The average person laughs about 20 times a day, according to the Berkley Well-being Institute—but why on earth would it feel so good to break out laughing during a funeral…much less, the funeral of my child?

Keep reading this article on The Healthy.