Laughter can heal a broken heart — literally: cardiac health study

So, laughter really is the best medicine.

A mere chuckle is enough to expand cardiac tissue and increase the flow of oxygen throughout the body, thus exercising a weakened heart, according to a new study.

Scientists in Brazil set out to prove that “laughter therapy” can improve cardiovascular health and ease symptoms of heart disease.

“Our study found that laughter therapy increased the functional capacity of the cardiovascular system,” said lead author professor Marco Saffi, of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre in Brazil, via the Guardian.

“Laughter therapy could be implemented in institutions and health systems like the NHS [National Health System of the UK] for patients at risk of heart problems.”

The research was presented at the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology in Amsterdam, the world’s largest heart conference.

Researchers looked at 26 adults, at an average age of 64 who had previously been diagnosed with coronary artery disease.

Every week for three months, half of the group viewed comedy programs while the other half watched serious documentaries about topics such as the Amazon rainforest or politics.

Results showed that the group who watched comedies had a 10% advancement in the amount of oxygen the heart could pump into the body as well as an improvement in their arteries’ ability to expand.

Blood testing also detected notable reductions in inflammatory biomarkers, which can indicate if people are at risk for heart attack or stroke and show how much plaque is built up in blood vessels.

“When patients with coronary artery disease arrive at hospital, they have a lot of inflammatory biomarkers,” Saffi said. “Inflammation is a huge part of the process of atherosclerosis when plaque builds up in the arteries.”

It’s believed that laughter has this effect because it releases endorphins, which are needed to maintain healthy blood pressure and reduce strain on the heart by keeping stress hormones low.

“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,” Saffi said.

He suggested that laughter therapy could eventually reduce reliance on medications.

Saffi noted that these results don’t have to be a result of TV programs alone — it can also come from live comedy shows or fun evenings with friends and family.

“People should try do do things that make them laugh at least twice a week,” Saffi said.

“Laughing helps people feel happier overall, and we know when people are happier they are better at adhering to medication.”