The authors of the

study

spearheaded by Dr. Robin Dunbar of University of Oxford, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, suggests that,

“When laughter is elicited, pain thresholds are significantly increased, whereas when subjects watched something that does not naturally elicit laughter, pain thresholds do not change (and are often lower)”

. This means that you would be able to handle more painful experiences than normal, if you are laughing. The researchers believe that the long series of exhalations that accompany true laughter cause physical exhaustion of the abdominal muscles and, in turn, trigger endorphin release.