Laughter is Good for the Heart

06/30/2006

Laughter is Good for the Heart

A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.
Harry S. Truman

A study by the American College of Cardiology, reported in Work & Family Life ([email protected]) suggests that laughter is good for the heart. Researchers asked 20 healthy volunteers to watch 15-minute segments of two movies — a comedy and a battle scene. They measured changes in blood vessel reactivity using before and after ultrasounds. On average, the participants' blood flow increased by 22 percent after watching the comedy and decreased by 35 percent after watching the war movie.

The study’s lead author, Dr. Michael Miller, concluded, “There is great variability among people, but anything that evokes an emotional response has an impact on the heart.”

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