If you’ve been more forgetful than usual these days, you may need more laughs! Because a study from Loma Linda University has found that laughing makes your brain work better!

For the research, one group of study subjects watched a short, funny video… while another group sat calmly with no video to watch. Afterward, all the participants were given memory tests and had their stress levels measured.

The result: Those who watched the funny video scored better on the memory test and had less stress. And the researchers say, the less stress you have, the better your memory functions. It works like this: Humor reduces stress hormones, lowers blood pressure and sends more feel-good dopamine to the brain. That changes up our brainwaves, increasing gamma waves, which improve memory and recall.

So, now you have another reason to watch comedies – or hang out with your funniest friend! Because laughing makes the brain work better!