...but laughing with friends decreases it

Watching sitcoms could give you indigestion, scientists have suggested – but laughing with friends is likely to reduce it.

Researchers in Japan found evidence that chuckling while watching TV increases the risk of stomach pain by 74 per cent. But laughing with friends reduces incidents of functional dyspepsia – or FD, to give the condition its proper medical name – by half.

The study said: ‘The underlying mechanism linking laughter and FD remains unclear. Laughter with others might be representative of health, socioeconomic status, and social bonds. Laughter with others might also be associated with positive social support.’

But the authors added: ‘In this study, laughing while watching TV or videos was positively associated with FD.

They suggested: ‘Laughter as a result of hearing the punchline might cause FD via excessive sympathetic nervous system activation’ - which in turn leads to lead to sleep disturbances.

Other studies have found  laughter to have potential health benefits, helping fight depression, insomnia, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and heart diseases. It also helps reduce and stress hormone levels.

The researchers quizzed 8,923 Japanese university students and made allowances for other lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking and obesity. However, they also accepted shortcomings in the research.

Their results were published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Published: 18 Jun 2022