your brain on laughter

i recently read an article endorsing the effects of laughter on the brain. laughter improves memory, mood and motivation. it has important neuropsychological benefits -"a good knee-slapper produces a chemical reaction that instantly elevates your mood, reduces pain and stress, boosts immunity, exercises your brain, and even strengthens bonds". parker had a good laugh the other night as he joyfully threw a rubber squeaky bone and watched as kimball retrieved it. as he did this over and over again, our funny little guy buried his excited sqeals into his stuffed mickey mouse doll. very cute. just yesterday kate and i were helping gram into the van. she started laughing and shaking and i was trying hard to hold onto her. when i made sure she was safely sitting on the seat i looked up and saw tears running down her cheeks. she has a good laugh. when we got the news that our friend hank wolfgang had died last week, we were saddened, but our sorrow was lifted as i pictured him and mom sitting on opposite ends of the pew in church and shaking the bench with their attempts to stifle laughter. my sister sherry has a good laugh. it starts out quiet, nearly silent and builds to a loud, contagious crescendo. when sue and john were little they designated thursday night as laughing night. the attached pictures should make you laugh! fortunately our family has many such photos that provide endless hours of laughter. we even have a file for "pictures that never should have been taken" in the article i read, a study showed that heart patients benefited with fewer heart attacks and less needed medication with a prescribed thirty minutes per day of laughter. so....go ahead and laugh. it's good for you!