Laugh Together, Live Better

Why Friendship Needs Laughter

By Alison Gilchrist, CEO, GFS Perth

Have you ever laughed so hard with a friend that you struggled to catch your breath? The sort of laughter that starts with a smile, becomes a chuckle and then suddenly takes on a life of its own. The kind that leaves tears rolling down your cheeks, your stomach aching and everyone else in the room wondering what could possibly be so funny.

It is one of life’s simplest pleasures yet, increasingly, research is showing that it is also one of life’s healthiest.

Perhaps that shouldn’t surprise us. Long before scientists began studying laughter, people instinctively knew it mattered. We often speak about someone having “a good sense of humour” as though it were simply an attractive personality trait.

In reality, laughter may be one of the quiet ways our friendships become stronger, our communities become warmer and our wellbeing becomes more resilient.

One of the fascinating discoveries from social science is that laughter is rarely a solitary activity. We are far more likely to laugh when we are with other people than when we are alone. In fact, researchers have found that laughing together triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural “feel-good” chemicals, which not only lift our mood but also strengthen the bonds between us.

Studies from the University of Oxford suggest that shared laughter can even increase our tolerance to pain, an indication that something deeper than amusement is taking place. When we laugh together, we are, quite literally, becoming more connected. I find that thought rather beautiful.

Friendship is often built through ordinary moments rather than extraordinary events. It grows through shared experiences, familiar conversations and the small rituals of everyday life. Laughter is one of those rituals. Every joke remembered, every amusing mishap retold and every moment of shared silliness quietly adds another thread to the fabric of a friendship.

Of course, laughter also says something important about trust.We don’t usually laugh freely with people who make us feel guarded or anxious. Genuine laughter happens when we feel safe enough to relax, when we know we will not be judged for our terrible jokes, our unexpected giggles or those moments when we simply cannot stop laughing over something that probably wasn’t funny in the first place. In that sense, laughter is one of the signs that friendship has found fertile ground.

The benefits don’t end there. Research continues to show that laughter helps reduce stress hormones such as cortisol, supports healthy blood pressure, stimulates our immune system and contributes to better cardiovascular health.

It is little wonder that people who enjoy strong social relationships often experience better physical and mental health than those who remain socially isolated.

We sometimes think of friendship as something pleasant to have if time allows. Increasingly, the evidence suggests it is something far more important. Friendship is part of what keeps us well.

That is one of the reasons we speak so often at GFS Perth about Social Fitness.

Just as physical fitness develops through regular movement, social fitness develops through regular connection. Every conversation, every shared meal, every volunteer session, every walk together and, yes, every laugh together is helping to strengthen the relationships that support our wellbeing throughout life. Perhaps laughter is one of the easiest social muscles to exercise.

You don’t need expensive equipment or specialist knowledge. You don’t need perfect health or perfect circumstances. All you need is another human being and a willingness to enjoy the moment together.

At Friendship Central, we hope there will be plenty of laughter, not because we are trying to entertain people, but because laughter is often the sound of belonging.

It is what happens when strangers become familiar faces, when volunteers work side by side, when children discover worms in the compost, when someone burns the scones but everyone eats them anyway, or when a simple conversation over coffee turns into an unexpected friendship.

Those moments may seem ordinary. In truth, they are quietly extraordinary.

In a world where many people are spending more time alone and fewer hours in face-to-face company, choosing to laugh with another person becomes an act of connection. It reminds us that life is not meant to be lived entirely through screens, messages and emojis.

Joy is something we experience most fully when it is shared. Perhaps that is why laughter is so contagious. It has always been less about the joke than about the people telling it together.