28 Jun 2023

Why we need to laugh more for our health

From Nine To Noon, 10:05 am on 28 June 2023
Ros Ben-Moshe, author of The Laughter Effect

Photo: Steve Cook/supplied

"You've got to laugh" is an oft used expression. Dr Ros Ben-Moshe says for our wellbeing, we actually do HAVE to laugh more. She is a positivity, resilience and laughter-as-therapy academic at La Trobe University in Melbourne. She's a researcher and author and teaches positive psychology. Dr Ben-Moshe says there's a huge body of evidence that laughter - whether a spontaneous belly laugh, or intentional giggle, can release happy hormones; dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins. Her latest book is called The Laughter Effect: How to Build Joy, Resilience and Positivity into Your Life.