County Durham & Darlington Fire & Rescue Service Laughology: Physiological Benefits of Laughter, Humour & Personal Growth Laughology and Honorary Lecturer.

County Durham & Darlington Fire & Rescue Service

Laughology: Physiological Benefits of Laughter,Humour & Personal Growth

Laughology and

Honorary Lecturer University of Chester

Stephanie Davies,Creative Director

Copyright of Laughology© All rights reserved 2008


Stephanie DaviesCognitive laughter and humour consultant


A model for living

A flexible approach that brings about fast,

positive change in individuals and

organisations - empowering them to adapt to

an ever-changing world.


What is Laughter?

What is Humour?


An audible expression or

appearance of merriment or

amusement.

Encyclopaedia Online

The outward energy to humour

Particular cognitive experiences

to provoke laughter and provide

amusement, a State of mind

Encyclopaedia Online

A system for information processing.


Research shows that stress hormones—that can

constrict blood vessels and suppress immune

activity--decrease in the body as a result of laughter. Maryland School of Medicine news March 11, 1999

Laughter helps blood vessels function betterMary land school of medicine


Humour and laughter is learned, a person can develop

a better sense of humour; that would affect one's own

nature in a remarkable way and could be more

Conducive to good health.

Dr Michael Miller UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Humour Brain Training


Write down as many things/words/situations that

make you laugh?


Neotenous

Neoteny is the study of juvenile traits within

human beings whether this be physical or

mental.

As children we are at our best

developmental stage, we are playful, full of

imagination and flexible


Laughter Effects

• Laughter provides enjoyable exercise and provides abdominal exercise William Fry M.D. a Stanford University Medical School

• Increases levels of natural killer (NK) cells and antibodies to boost the immune system Dr Lee Berk & Stanley Tan of the Loma Linda University Medical Centre

• Reduces blood pressure and heart rate if practiced regularly University of Maryland medical Centre Dr Miller

• Reduces stress hormones University of Maryland medical Centre Dr Miller


The Humour being

The Brain and Humor

Prefrontal Cortex holds our ability for humour. This area of our brain is

used for flexible thinking, to untangle an abstract idea, and understand it's

amusing message. Society for Neuroscience


Laughology humour toolkit

• Fake it

• Language

• imagination

• Pattern breaking


SMILEPerformance of Self

Small

Measurable

Improvements

Lasting

Empowering

Prisoners of War kept their morale up by telling jokes to each other in Morse code through their prison walls.

Gerald Coffee, author of Beyond Survival,


Appropriate humour

1. Humour needs to be inclusive.2. Humour can not be deliberately offensive

or hurtful 3. Humour should not be used against

someone.4. Humour should be mirthful and with

positive intent.


•Fire Services•Police Services•Cardiac Patient care programme•Knowsley CVD public health engagement programme•Breathe Easy Support Network•Royal Liverpool Hospital well-being at work •Alder hey children's Hospital•Isle of Man Community Nurses•Mencap IOM•Healthy Schools


[email protected] 800 1701

www.laughology.co.uk

County Durham & Darlington Fire & Rescue Service Laughology: Physiological Benefits of Laughter, Humour & Personal Growth Laughology and Honorary Lecturer.

Documents

flexible slide

humour consultant slide

neuroscience slide

laughter effects laughter

creative director slide

result of laughter

laughology humour toolkit

better sense of humour