They say laughter is the best medicine but no one tells you the specifics of its benefits. However, this proverb is one of the few ones that has practical relevance, especially for heart health. Thus, we delve deeper into its significance and explore the benefits of laughter for heart health.
What You Should Know:
Laughter and Heart Health
Negative emotions such as stress, depression, and loneliness have a negative impact on heart health. However, laughter helps to mitigate their effect by releasing happy hormones or endorphins, which block negative emotions and vascular dysfunctional chemicals they release. There are several other health benefits of laughter for your heart as well.
Benefits of Laughter
In comparison to other ways of improving heart health, laughter therapy requires miniscule changes to your lifestyle. Here are some widely recognised benefits of laughter for your heart health.
1. Decreases risk of heart attack
Laughter improves your cardio-vascular functions by forcing you take deep breaths. This improves the flow of oxygenated blood to your heart and decrease the risk of heart attacks.
2. Reduces blood pressure
High Blood Pressure, often known as the silent killer, is a threatening disease. Laughing regularly keeps your BP in control by releasing endorphins that counteract the side-effects of stress.
3. Boosts immune system
Your body has the ability to ward off common diseases with a healthy immune system. Laughter boosts your immune system and keeps you from falling sick regularly.
4. Helps to lose weight
Increased production of cortisol, a stress hormone, can bolster weight gain. However, laughter paired with a healthy diet can exercise can negate its effects and shred the extra kilos.
Ways to Include Laughter Therapy in Daily Routine
Laughter is quite often only a reaction to something funny. However, sometimes it is a cultivated feeling that hinges on the environment, people, and memories. It’s possible to create an environment that is conducive to laughter and subsequently improve your heart health. Here are three easy ways to do so.
- Spend time with friends and family that make you laugh
- Recall fun memories from the past
- Watch funny TV shows, live shows, and other entertainment genres.
Now that we have dissected the aforementioned platitude and suggested ways to include it in your routine, you can learn about more ways to keep your heart healthy here. You can use our Healthy Heart ScoreTM, on our Activ Health app, to get a clearer picture of your heart health. To improve the effect of the heart healthy exercises, you should also try a heart healthy diet plan. For more fitness or nutrition related advice, visit Activ Living.