Friday, September 13, 2002
Understanding the Science of Pleasure
Pleasure. Hard to say that word without little thrills of almost-guilt. Which is exactly the point. Understanding the Science of Pleasure takes pleasure seriously, as a scientifically good thing. This is great stuff for those of us who need the validation, and those of us who make us need the validation. It's almost like you can't get enough.
Pleasure is important to health in two ways. First, it can act pro-actively to promote good physical and mental health and protect against ill-health (inoculation). Second, it can aid the process of unwinding and protect against recent unpleasant experiences (antidote). Research shows that experiencing pleasure leads to a reduction in the stress hormones, such as cortisol, and leads to a strengthened immune response and therefore greater resistance to infections and disease.
- feelings of well being benefit the body by lowering levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, and increasing immunocompetence
- when people relax, there is a significant increase in the activity of natural killer cells which comprise a major defence against infection (Kiecolt-Glaser et al 1986)
- similarly, laughter lowers serum cortisol levels reducing the potentially damaging effects of this hormone on the body (Berk et al 1989)
- positive mood states increase the salivary levels of immunoglobulin, which renders the individual more able to fight off respiratory infections (Stone et al 1987).
Pleasure is important to health in two ways. First, it can act pro-actively to promote good physical and mental health and protect against ill-health (inoculation). Second, it can aid the process of unwinding and protect against recent unpleasant experiences (antidote). Research shows that experiencing pleasure leads to a reduction in the stress hormones, such as cortisol, and leads to a strengthened immune response and therefore greater resistance to infections and disease.
- feelings of well being benefit the body by lowering levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, and increasing immunocompetence
- when people relax, there is a significant increase in the activity of natural killer cells which comprise a major defence against infection (Kiecolt-Glaser et al 1986)
- similarly, laughter lowers serum cortisol levels reducing the potentially damaging effects of this hormone on the body (Berk et al 1989)
- positive mood states increase the salivary levels of immunoglobulin, which renders the individual more able to fight off respiratory infections (Stone et al 1987).
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