Is humor the best medicine?

This chapter presents an overview of recent empirical studies dealing with humor and physical health. After summarizing the possible mechanisms by which humor and laughter may affect health, the results of 50 relevant journal article published between 2001 and 2011 were analyzed. Overall, findings suggest that mirthful laughter may cause muscular relaxation, beneficial effects on vascular function, reduction of pain, and have beneficial immunological and endocrine effects, whereas inconsistencies were found about the beneficial effects of laughter on asthma and COPD.