Don’t laugh, but a good giggle can help you live longer… Research finds laughing can help to ease symptoms of heart disease
It’s long been said that laughter can be the best medicine — now research shows that giggling can ease the symptoms of heart disease.
Scientists in Brazil have conducted a trial to see if “laughter therapy” can improve cardiovascular symptoms.
The study examined 26 adults with an average age of 64, all of whom had been diagnosed with coronary artery disease.
Half were shown weekly comedy programs for three months, the other watched serious documentaries.
The comedy troupe saw a 10 percent improvement in the amount of oxygen their hearts could pump through the body, while also improving the ability of their blood vessels to expand.
The study examined 26 adults with an average age of 64, all of whom had been diagnosed with coronary artery disease (stock image)
There was also a significant decrease in inflammatory biomarkers, which indicate how much plaque has built up in the arteries and whether people are at risk for heart attack or stroke.
Lead author Professor Marco Saffi from the Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre in Brazil said: ‘This study has shown that laughter therapy can help reduce that inflammation and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
‘Laughter therapy could be implemented in institutions and healthcare systems such as the NHS for patients at risk of heart problems.’
Experts believe that laughter can help the heart because it releases endorphins, which reduce inflammation and help the heart and blood vessels relax.
It also reduces levels of stress hormones, which put a strain on the heart.