Why Do People Laugh

Do you laugh every day? Most people do. Scientists say that people laugh about 17 times a day. That is a lot of laughter. In India, there are hundreds of laughter clubs. The people in these clubs get together every morning. First, they stretch their hands above their heads. Then, they pretend to laugh. Soon everyone is laughing naturally. People say that they feel good after laughing together. Scientists believe that laughter is good for you, why? For one thing, laughter is good exercise. When you laugh, you exercise muscles in your body. Scientists say that one hundred laughs equals ten minutes of running. When you laugh, you also breathe deeply. This helps you relax. That is good for you, too. Why do we laugh? That is a hard question to answer. We know that people laugh more often in a group. They don’t laugh very often when they are alone. Many scientists believe that we use laughter to connect to other people. Laughter helps us feel part of a group. In English, people say that laughter is the best medicine . Some think that laughter helps sick people get well. Do you think so, too?