

NEW YORK, Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Watching TV sitcoms may help health because there is a direct correlation between laughter and positive effects on the body and mind, a U.S. researcher says.
Dr. Lee Berk, a preventive care specialist and psychoneuroimmunologist, said watching sitcoms can contribute to improved overall health because people who laugh often are more likely to exercise vigorously and eat healthier.
A study, "The Power of Laughter," determined that sense of humor is the top quality that people find attractive in a person, over other traits like physical appearance and intelligence, while more than 70 percent of people agree that laughter, as a personality trait, can open doors and create opportunities in the workplace, the study found. Ninety-two percent of those in the study agreed everyone needs laughter, with humor about everyday life ranking as the No. 1 type of humor.
The study was conducted in October in a national survey of 1,200 people ages 21-59 plus some viewers of cable's TV Land.
"Our study validates that watching sitcoms is the No. 1 way people seek out and found laughter," Berk said. "That is very significant since this is an accessible way, be it alone or with others, that Americans can obtain the psychological and physical benefits of laughter such as feeling less stressed and depressed, having more optimism and vigor, along with lowering blood pressure, stress hormones and enhancing components of immunity."
TV Land viewers said "Hot in Cleveland's" Betty White made them laugh the most, the study found.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Additional Health News Stories | |
SANFORD, Fla., May 24 (UPI) --
Pictures and texts from Trayvon Martin's cellphone show a different side of the teenager a Florida man is accused of killing unprovoked, defense attorneys say.
|
NEW YORK, May 24 (UPI) --
A New York judge has released Amanda Bynes on her own recognizance after the actress was arrested for throwing a bong out of her 36th-floor apartment window.
|
BELCARRA, British Columbia, May 24 (UPI) --
A Canadian teen and his dog are recovering from wounds after he rescued the dog from a cougar in what he called "the most terrifying thing I've ever endured."
|
OSLO, Norway, May 24 (UPI) --
Norwegian oil and gas company DNO International said tests from a field in the Kurdish region of Iraq yielded an average flow rate of more than 100,000 bpd.
|
| Stories | Photos | Comments |
View Caption