Laughing is one of life’s simple pleasures that can also provide some surprising health benefits. From boosting your immune system to decreasing stress, laughter has been shown to improve overall wellbeing. One benefit that may motivate people to laugh more is that it burns calories. But how many calories does 10 minutes of laughing actually burn? Let’s take a closer look.
What the Research Says
Several studies have attempted to quantify the calorie-burning power of laughing. In one study, researchers looked at the calorie expenditure of laughing compared to resting in 45 healthy adults. They found that 10-15 minutes of laughter burned an average of 10-40 calories.1
Another study had 17 participants watch humorous videos for 30 minutes. During the videos, their oxygen consumption and energy expenditure increased by 20-120% above resting values. This translated to burning approximately 10-100 calories in 30 minutes.2
Based on these studies, it’s estimated that the average person burns roughly 1-3 calories per minute while laughing. So for 10 minutes of laughter, you could expect to burn 10-30 calories. However, the exact amount can vary substantially based on factors like your body weight and intensity of laughter.
Calories Burned Laughing vs. Other Activities
Here’s how laughing stacks up against other common calorie-burning activities:
| Activity | Calories burned in 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Laughing | 10-30 calories |
| Walking (2 mph) | 50 calories |
| Jogging (5 mph) | 100 calories |
| Jumping rope | 120 calories |
As you can see, while laughing burns some calories, more vigorous activities like jogging or jumping rope burn significantly more in the same time period. Laughing shouldn’t be thought of as a replacement for regular exercise.
How Laughing Burns Calories
So how does simply laughing lead to calorie expenditure? There are a few reasons:
Muscle Contractions
When you laugh, various muscles throughout your body contract and relax repeatedly. These muscle contractions burn calories. The main muscles activated during laughter include:
– Facial muscles like the zygomatic major (used for smiling) and orbicularis oculi (around the eyes).
– Intercostals muscles between the ribs.
– Abdominal muscles.
– Muscles of the shoulders and back.
This aerobic muscular activity increases calorie burning. The harder you laugh, the more calories you’ll burn.
Increased Heart Rate
Studies show laughter causes a 20-100% increase in heart rate and oxygen consumption.2 This boosts your metabolism just like cardiovascular exercise. Your heart has to work harder during vigorous laughter just like during exercise.
Stress Reduction
Laughing reduces the stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine in your body. This helps turn off the excess fat storage often caused by chronic stress. It also allows your metabolism to be more efficient so you burn calories faster.
Other Health Benefits of Laughing
Aside from the minor calorie burn, there are plenty of other ways laughing improves your health:
Boosts Immunity
Laughing reduces stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies.3 This helps fend off viruses and infections.
Lowers Blood Pressure
Studies show laughter causes an initial increase in blood pressure followed by a longer drop in blood pressure. Over time, this can help keep your blood pressure in the healthy range.
Improves Cardiovascular Health
Laughing increases blood flow and improves vascular function. One study found people with heart disease were 40% less likely to laugh compared to those without heart disease.4
Relieves Pain
Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, your body’s natural pain relievers. Laughter therapy has been shown to reduce chronic pain and improve quality of life.5
Reduces Stress
The act of laughing helps release stress and increase feelings of relaxation. Laughter can help improve mood and cope with difficult situations.
Enhances Mood
Studies show laughter elevates mood and decreases symptoms of depression and anxiety.6 Even simulated laughter improves mood based on one study.7
Tips to Laugh More
Looking for simple ways to laugh more and reap the health benefits? Here are some tips:
Seek Out Humor
Read funny books, listen to comedy podcasts, and watch funny TV shows or movies. Finding humor on a regular basis stimulates laughing.
Play with Kids or Pets
Kids and animals often do silly things that provoke laughter. Set aside playtime to get giggly with kids or pets.
Hang with Funny Friends
Surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Then get together regularly to share laughs.
Try Laughter Yoga
Laughter yoga combines breathing exercises, stretching, clapping and facilitated laughter. Take a class or watch YouTube videos.
Join a Laughing Club
Laughter clubs provide opportunities for group laughing. Members simulate laughter which often leads to real contagious laughter.
Use Humor to Cope
Find the humor even in difficult situations. Use jokes and funny stories to lighten the mood and stimulate laughter.
The Bottom Line
10 minutes of vigorous laughing can burn up to 30 calories. While this isn’t a tremendous amount compared to other exercise, laughing has many other benefits that promote health and wellbeing. Aiming for several bouts of laughter per day can help manage stress, boost your mood, and improve your physical health over time.
Consider seeking out humorous situations more often so you can get those abdominal muscles shaking from laughter on a regular basis. Let the kids or pets entertain you, watch a comedy show, or try laughter yoga. Getting consistent laughs every day will help you reap the many benefits – including a minor calorie burn.
