People are laughing they must be feeling happy

We often assume that when people are laughing they must be feeling happy (we may leaving aside tickling in this connection – or should we?). But is happiness simply a matter of finding things funny? People who laugh too much are often thought to be silly, or even disturbed (remember Democritus?). Does humor provide only an illusory relief from actual misery? What does laughter have to do with happiness?