Why Laughter Is a Human Superpower

About this episode

This week I'm joined by Professor Sophie Scott, neuroscientist, stand-up comedian and Deputy Director of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London, and someone who has dedicated her career to one of the most underrated forces in human life, laughter.We explore the science of laughter, why it matters more than we think, and what it is actually doing to our brains, our bodies and our relationships.Professor Sophie Scott is a Fellow of the Royal Society and one of the UK's leading voices on the neuroscience of laughter and communication. She has been named among the UK's top 100 scientists and is known for making complex science accessible and joyful including through her own stand-up comedy. She has spent decades studying why humans laugh, when we laugh and what happens in the brain when we do.What we explore together:-Why laughter is a social behaviour first and a response to humour second -What rats, chimpanzees and cows can teach us about why we laugh -What laughter actually does to the brain and body and why it is so good for us -Why we are 30 times more likely to laugh with other people than alone -The difference between fake laughter and real laughter and how your brain knows the difference -Why laughter is one of the most powerful tools we have for connection and resilience -What stand-up comedy taught a neuroscientist about human behaviourLove, Sarah Ann 💛My book 'Healthy Shouldn't Be This Hard': https://www.amazon.co.uk/Healthy-Shouldnt-Be-This-Hard-ebook/dp/B0G1DHNRV5This episode is sponsored by: NOWATCH: The compassionate health tracker Connecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today 👉 15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/PULSETTO: Vagus nerve stimulation for stress, sleep and calm 👉 Use code SARAHANN at https://pulsetto.sjv.io/SARAHANNThe Great British Veg Out How to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more, not less. 👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/t…Reset Your Health If your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout, this is where to start. 👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/r...👉 Practical beats perfect. Here's a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks. https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who read The Compassionate Cure each week. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/Let's be friends! 📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin/ 📹 Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@livewellbewellsarah 🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/SarahAnnMacklin 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livewellbewellpodcast 💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:55 What is laughter, emotion or something else entirely 05:54 Why rats laugh and what that tells us about humans 09:07 The social function of laughter across species 12:00 What happens in the brain when we laugh 15:04 Why we are 30 times more likely to laugh with others 18:00 Real laughter vs fake laughter and how we tell the difference 21:02 What laughter does to your body physically 24:08 The link between laughter and pain relief 27:04 Why comedians are often the most serious people in the room 30:05 How Sophie became a stand-up scientist 33:02 What comedy taught her about the science of laughter 36:00 Laughter and resilience through difficult times 39:07 Can you train yourself to laugh more 42:00 The dark side of laughter and when it goes wrong 45:08 Laughter and embarrassment 48:00 Why we laugh at inappropriate moments 51:07 The neuroscience of humour 54:06 Gender differences in laughter and comedy57:07 Laughter in relationships and what it signals 60:00 How laughter changes as we age 63:02 The link between laughter and memory 66:04 Can laughter actually make you healthier 69:08 Laughter and mental health 72:00 The science behind laughing gas 75:02 Final thoughts, every day is all there is