Laughter is the best medicine for your heart, quite literally, study finds

A recent study has unveiled intriguing findings that suggest laughter has a positive impact on heart health by inducing the expansion of heart tissue and enhancing oxygen circulation throughout the body, media reports said. Researchers conducted an experiment to explore the potential benefits of laughter therapy in addressing heart disease symptoms.

The study mainly focused on individuals with coronary artery disease, a condition resulting from the accumulation of plaque within the arteries supplying blood to the heart. As part of the study, twenty-six participants, with an average age of 64, were diagnosed with coronary artery disease.

Over a span of three months, the participants were divided into two groups to understand the linkages between laughter and hearthealth. One of the groups watched hour-long comedy programmes twice a week, while the other group watched serious documentaries on topics for instance, politics and the Amazon rainforest.

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Study findings

At the conclusion of the 12-week experiment, the comedy-watching group displayed significant improvements in terms of boosting their heart health.

As per the study findings, the cardiovascular system's functional capacity was increased by 10 per cent. The conclusion was reached following a test measuring the heart's ability to pump oxygen throughout the body.

Additionally, this group exhibited improved arterial expansion. Blood tests conducted to measure inflammatory biomarkers demonstrated a significant reduction in plaque-related inflammation. This implied that there was a decreased risk of heart attack or stroke.

Study significance

Lead author Prof Marco Saffi of Brazil's Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre said,“When patients with coronary artery disease arrive at hospital, they have a lot of inflammatory biomarkers. Inflammation is a huge part of the process of atherosclerosis, when plaque builds up in the arteries."

After looking at the study findings,Saffi added, “This study found that laughter therapy is a good intervention that could help reduce that inflammation and decrease the risk of heart attack and stroke."

He also spoke of the significance the study holds and the immense potential of it to address heart health challenges.

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“Laughter therapy could be implemented in institutions and health systems like the NHS for patients at risk of heart problems," he said adding,“It does not have to be TV programmes – people with heart disease could be invited to comedy evenings, or encouraged to enjoy fun evenings with friends and family. People should try to do things that make them laugh at least twice a week.”

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Moreover, the professor also pointed out that laughter therapy might offer an avenue for reducing the reliance on medication. However, additional research is needed to validate and expand upon these findings.

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