The next time you’re forced to listen to Sarah Palin speak, try this: swear. According to bizarre new research on tolerating pain, it should help.

Researchers from the school of psychology at Britain’s Keele University have found swearing can make you feel better as it can have a “pain-lessening effect,” according to a study published in the journal NeuroReport…

“Swearing has been around for centuries and is an almost universal human linguistic phenomenon,” says Stephens.

“It taps into emotional brain centers and appears to arise in the right brain, whereas most language production occurs in the left cerebral hemisphere of the brain. Our research shows one potential reason why swearing developed and why it persists.”

How the scientists proved their theory is both novel and ingenious.

Their study involved 64 volunteers who were each asked to put their hand in a tub of ice water for as long as possible while repeating a swear word of their choice.

They then repeated the experiment using a more commonplace word that they would use to describe a table.

The researchers found the volunteers were able to keep their hands in the ice water for a longer when swearing, establishing a link between swearing and an increase in pain tolerance.

Since listening to Sarah Palin speak can make you feel like your head is submerged in ice water, it’s worth a shot to let loose on her. Try the old standard MF, or for added relief, throw in some more creative variations, possibly involving the C-word. Just don’t call her a table. That doesn’t work.