We have more than 2,000 different racial groups all across the globe and we speak differently and act differently. However, there is one thing universal about all of us – we all laugh. Why?
We all know that babies cry immediately after birth and infants do not begin to laugh until four to five months old. The jolly sound of the laughing baby intends to communicate with its laughing mother. The thrust of why we laugh is in fact to communicate emotions.
Our closest relative, the gorilla, laughs as well. If you tickle a gorilla, it makes a low breathy laughter to communicate its desire to play, the same way as children do. It is actually children who laugh the most because everything is new and absurdly funny to them. In adulthood, it is a social glue to bond us together. If you watch your favourite situation comedy by yourself, you may find it amusing and chuckle at times. However, it is much more fun to watch it with your friends as the laughter is contagious.
We often say laughter is the best medicine. When we laugh, our brain releases feel-good chemicals such as endorphins and dopamine. They both have a beneficial effect in lowering blood pressure, relieving stress and even enhancing our immune system. So start laughing as much as you can.
| JPC Monthly Newsletter | |
| Editor： | Police Public Relations Branch, 11/F Arsenal House, Police Headquarters, No. 1 Arsenal Street, Wan Chai, HK. |
| Tel： | 2860 6157 |
| Fax： | 2200 4304 |
| JPC homepage： | http://www.hkpjpc.org.hk |
| Police homepage： | http://www.police.gov.hk |