{"id":16750,"date":"2021-07-21T05:40:46","date_gmt":"2021-07-21T05:40:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ade-medical.z4pby1v9-liquidwebsites.com\/?p=16750"},"modified":"2022-07-05T16:25:44","modified_gmt":"2022-07-05T16:25:44","slug":"humor-and-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medical.andonline.com\/humor-and-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Humor and Health"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n

Humor and Health<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/section>\n

Volume II, Issue V<\/p>\n

Stop us if you\u2019ve heard this one. Three people walk into a bar and the fourth one ducks.<\/p>\n

If that made you laugh, you\u2019re welcome. If it didn\u2019t, well you might want to learn to at least appreciate a joke — because\u00a0laughter is more than a nice diversion;\u00a0it has actual health benefits. From mental health to physical health, a chuckle here and a chortle there can help make you feel better inside and out.<\/p>\n

Not convinced? Here are just a few ways in which laughter can be the best medicine.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>

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Side-splitting stress relief<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

You probably already know from personal experience the power of a laugh to erase or at least reduce stress.<\/p>\n

A good laugh reduces the\u00a0levels of stress hormones<\/a>\u00a0in the body making you feel more relaxed. Not only that, it can\u00a0increase blood circulation<\/a>\u00a0and reduce tension and the physical symptoms of stress.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>

Laugh for lower blood pressure.<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Of course, another side effect of stress is higher blood pressure, and it turns out laughter helps with that, too.<\/p>\n

One study found a\u00a0drop of 7 mmHg<\/a>\u00a0in participants’ blood pressure after each laughter-inducing session. This drop in pressure can in turn improve the function of blood vessels and\u00a0reduce your risk<\/a>\u00a0of heart attacks and strokes.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>

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Chuckle for cardiovascular health<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Believe it or not, laughter can do even more for your cardiovascular system.<\/p>\n

Studies have shown that laughter can\u00a0expand your arteries<\/a>, making them more flexible (always a good thing) and less prone to blockage (an even better thing).<\/p>\n

One study even found changes in artery expansion that were similar to exercise.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>

Rib-tickling workout\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Speaking of exercise, anyone who\u2019s ever had a really good belly laugh can tell you that laughter works the core.<\/p>\n

While you probably won\u2019t get a six pack without at least a few trips to the gym, laughter does actually burn calories. One study even found that it can burn up to\u00a0a calorie per minute<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That kind of \u201cworkout\u201d is nothing to laugh at, but feel free to.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>

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Giggle for greater immunity<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

This one may sound too good to be true, but laughter can help build your immunity. And less stress on your immune system is always a good thing for your heart.<\/p>\n

Stress in the system can weaken your immunity, but on the flip-side positivity can have the reverse effect. Pardon us while we get a little scientific, but positive thoughts and laughter can\u00a0release neuropeptides<\/a>\u00a0(little brain messengers and modulators), which help to fight stress and more serious illnesses.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>

In conclusion, laughter may not\u00a0literally\u00a0<\/em>be the best medicine, but it can certainly work some wonders for your health, in general, and your blood pressure, specifically.\u00a0 And that should have you smiling all day long!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>