IS LAUGHTER THE BEST MEDICINE?

by Dr Michael Akadiri

Dr Michael Akadiri is a NHS junior doctor by day and multi-award winning comedian by night having completed a sold out debut run at the Edinburgh festival

You can find him on YouTube @michaelakadiricomedy where he'll be putting out weekly episodes of his Public Health trivia series He’ll also be premiering his No Scrubs stand up special on YouTube on Sunday 9th July 2023

Find him on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok @michaelakadiri

As someone who lives the Clark Kent double life as both a comedian and junior doctor, I’m often accosted with the question, "is laughter the best medicine?" I’d argue that it is, well unless you need CPR then boy, it isn’t time for jokes – you need compression's! That joke is a tongue in cheek way of acknowledging that humour is no substitute for life saving treatment

To throw another adage into the mix, prevention is better than cure and laughter goes a long way in helping one stay healthy. I’m not even referring to the abs one can attain from belly laughs (before I run personal trainers out of business, laughter is no substitute for crunches), as health isn’t solely physical The World Health Organisation describes health as “the state of physical, psychological and social wellbeing, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”

A good laugh can improve psychological and social well-being Laughter is associated with the release of endorphins which are chemicals that are naturally produced in the body that reduce anxiety and depression, better self-esteem and decrease pain

Endorphins act on pain receptors in the brain therefore reducing pain and boost dopamine levels thus improving your mood

You immediately feel better after a good comedy show or after watching a funny video that’s shared in your group chat Whilst humour may be subjective, feeling good after laughing isn’t. These benefits have long been overlooked by the NHS; doctors don’t prescribe comedy However, following a pilot study in Bristol in early 2022 where trauma patients could be referred for a six-week stand-up comedy course, this could change It’s an exciting development and, in the most selfish way possible, I hope this is rolled out nationwide The Chief Medical Officer in England advises that to stay healthy, adults need 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise at least five times a week If you ’ re fortunate enough to have a personal trainer to assist with this goal, they’ll beckon you to get the reps in