August 28, 2023 – A study found that individuals who did “laughter therapy” had less inflammation and higher heart health.
The study divided 26 adults with a mean age of 64 years and all diagnosed with coronary heart disease into two groups, The guard reported. One group watched two different one-hour comedies on television each week, while the opposite watched serious documentaries on topics reminiscent of politics or the Amazon rainforest.
After 12 weeks, participants who watched comedies showed a ten% improvement in a test that measured how much oxygen their heart could pump throughout the body. The guard said.
“Our study found that laughter therapy increased the functional capacity of the cardiovascular system,” said lead writer Prof. Marco Saffi of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre in Brazil, based on The guardHe presented the outcomes, which haven't yet been peer reviewed, on the European Society of Cardiology in Amsterdam, the world's largest heart conference.
Participants also underwent a blood test, which showed a discount in inflammatory biomarkers – an indicator of how much plaque has built up within the blood vessels – in those that watched comedies in comparison with the opposite group.
“When patients come to the hospital with coronary heart disease, they have many inflammatory biomarkers,” Saffi said, based on The guard“Inflammation plays a significant role in atherosclerosis when plaque builds up within the arteries.
“This study found that laughter therapy is a good intervention that can help reduce this inflammation and lower the risk of heart attack and stroke.”
The latest findings are consistent with previous research that suggested that a superb laughter session causes the body to release endorphins, hormones that reduce stress and inflammation and help to loosen up the guts and blood vessels, The Independent reported.
Saffi said laughter therapy may help people reduce their use of heart medications.