# Mirthful Therapy A Serving of Hearty Laughter Will Banish Your Winter Blues By Katie Cordrey | Published 2009-02-22 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mirthful-therapy-hearty-laughter-banishes-winter-blues-laugh-away-sad References: [naturalcounselor](http://naturalcounselor.com/blog/?p=1031) Laughter is holistic, free and wonderfully contagious. Children seem to laugh with more ease and abandon than grown-ups, but there’s no age limit for laughing. Laughter may also be the [best medicine for SAD](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/parkrun). SAD stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder and is sometimes referred to as the ‘winter blues.’ It's common in the northern latitudes this time of year. Scientists say that SAD is caused by a lack of sunlight, which decreases the amount of Vitamin D available to the body. Without the D, serotonin levels are lowered and people become lethargic, gain weight and can’t ever seem to get enough sleep. But a generous dose of [laughter can help](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smile-20). Laughter boosts the immune system, lowers blood pressure, decreases stress, moves our lymph, and increases detoxifying oxygenation. Comedian Milton Berle once said, “Laughter is an instant vacation.” A popular [YouTube](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/maltesers-meditation) video has the Rx for SAD in the form of laughing quadruplets. It’s extremely catching and I’ll be darned if it doesn’t work instant magic on the winter blues. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.5/10 - Popularity: 18% | Activity: 80% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Holistic Laughter Therapy:** There is a growing trend of using laughter as a holistic approach to treating Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and other medical conditions. - **Laughing for Health:** There is a trend towards incorporating laughter into overall wellness routines and treating mental health issues through laughter therapy. - **Laughter as Medicine:** The trend of using laughter as medicine is gaining popularity as studies show that laughing can boost the immune system and improve overall health. ### Who This Affects Most - **Health and Wellness:** The health and wellness industry can capitalize on the trend of laughter therapy by offering classes, workshops, and events aimed at using laughter as a form of healing. - **Comedy and Entertainment:** The comedy and entertainment industries can create products and services that leverage the healing power of laughter for consumers, such as comedy shows that address mental health issues or products that promote laughing exercises. - **Medical Treatment:** The medical industry can explore the potential of using laughter as a form of treatment for various medical conditions to complement traditional medicine. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Seasonal Mood Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/out-of-the-blues.md) - [Sound Frequency Therapy Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/soaak-1.md) - [Comprehensive Humor-Based Toolkits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/humor-based-toolkits.md) - [Happiness-Boosting Toothpastes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fresh-mint-toothpaste.md) - [Mental Health Lamp Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/axa-health.md) - [Laughing Contract Sweeepstakes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/laughing-contract-sweeepstakes.md) - [Uplifting Mental Health Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/brew-monday.md) - [Mood-Boosting Saffron Gummies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/joyspring-mood-munchies.md) - [Mental Health-Aiding Light Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/luxor-light.md)