Stress Less, Laugh More

When someone is grumpy, we might tease them about being an “Eeyore” and try to provoke a smile. Believe it or not, there’s a blood pressure-related reason for wanting to bring a grin to that face.

Depression, anxiety and stress are directly linked to high blood pressure, and they can be very hard on your heart. Stress causes blood vessels to constrict, increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Laughter has the opposite effect. When you laugh, your heart rate increases, and you take more deep breaths. A deep belly laugh is like a short burst of exercise because it causes more oxygen to circulate in your blood vessels, improving vascular function.

A good giggle also releases endorphins and other “feel good” hormones while suppressing stress hormones like cortisol. The more you laugh, the better you feel. Adults who laugh every day are less likely to have heart disease than those who seldom laugh. In other words, laughing often can help you live longer!

It’s no joke! In one study, people aged 40 to 74 attended a one-hour, laughter-based yoga class that met twice monthly for three months. Their blood pressure dropped by as much as 7 mm Hg by the end of each session.

Another study found that blood pressure levels improved during the 24 hours after participants watched a funny movie.

There are many ways to reduce stress, and we’ll share more of them later this month. But for now, if laughter really is the best medicine, why not get giggly?

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