It's science, so it must be true...

With its all-night bingeing, sleep depravation and deep-fried breakfasts, the Edinburgh Fringe is rarely thought of as an oasis of healthy living.

But despite what fringe-goers with roaring hangovers might think, one academic says the festival could be good for you.

Psychologist Alessandra Lemma said: "Heading to Edinburgh or similar events is ideal for fostering a greater sense of well-being in a world obsessed by work, making money and technological progress.

"We need to remind ourselves that the solutions to our stresses lie with the Simple Things in life like taking time to meet friends, sharing a joke or catching a show - all these things contribute in a modest way to our overall state of health."

"A sense of humour is not correlated with less stress, but with an enhanced ability to manage it.

"Studies have shown that those who have the capacity to laugh at themselves are more popular and are more likely to assume a position of leadership."

She added the health effects of laughter had been demonstrated: "Studies estimate that having a chuckle 100 times a day is roughly equivalent to spending 10 minutes chugging away on a rowing machine."

Her comments were commissioned from fair trade coffee company Cafédirect, which has provided a 20-seat lift as a performance space in the St Stephens shopping centre.

Published: 1 Aug 2002