In the 1980s, several American hospitals introduced the concept of the 'Laughter Room'. Based on Norman Cousins experiences and other laughter research by Dr Patch Adams.

They allocated a room and filled it with joke books, comedy films and other humorous tapes, and had regular visits from comedians and clowns. Patients were then exposed to 30- to 60-minute sessions each day. The result was impressive. A dramatic improvement in patient health and shorter average hospitalisation time per patient was found. The Laughter Rooms also showed a decrease in the number of painkillers required by those in pain and patients became easier to deal with. So you could say that doctors now take laughter more seriously.

Craig is a 22-year-old student currently studying psychology at Bournemouth University. He runs a self improvement blog and community filled with useful advice. His main aim is to help people exceed their expectations and reach their true potential. If you enjoyed this post, get free updates via RSS or E-mail.