Home News ACSM News Releases

For immediate release
May 29, 2009

LAUGH A LITTLE TO HELP PROTECT HEART, LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

SEATTLE – Laughter is not only an effective stress-reliever, but can be heart-healthy, according to research presented today at the American College of Sports Medicine’s 56^th Annual Meeting in Seattle. Two separate studies examined the role of a good laugh as it relates to health.

One of the studies took an inverted approach to previous research on the harmful cardiovascular tolls of stress and negative mood. A small group of healthy adults were instructed to watch either a comedy or documentary film, and were monitored for carotid artery activity during the films.

Subjects who watched the comedy benefited from improved “arterial compliance,” the amount of blood that moves through the arteries at a given time. Conversely, decreased arterial compliance is often associated with high blood pressure and heart disease.

“Arterial compliance was improved for a full 24 hours after subjects watched a funny movie,” said lead researcher Jun Sugawara. “Laughing is likely not the complete solution to a healthy heart, but it appears to contribute to positive effects.”

A second study found similar results in vascular function. When another group watched either a comedy or a somber documentary, blood vessels became more dilated during the comedy. Constricted blood vessels often lead to high blood pressure. Like the first study, favorable effects on vascular function were sustained for 24 hours.

“Not only did comedies improve vascular dilation, but watching a documentary about a depressing subject was actually harmful to the blood vessels,” said Takashi Tarumi, lead researcher on the study. “These documentaries constricted blood vessels by about 18 percent.”

In addition to laughter, a significant body of evidence exists that shows exercise as a preventive mechanism against both cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. ACSM’s Exercise is Medicine program promotes these curative and protective benefits, and encourages all patients to talk with their doctor or health care provider about their physical activity programs.

TheAmerican College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 35,000 international, national and regional members and certified professionals are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine.

-30-

The conclusions outlined in this news release are those of the researchers only, and should not be construed as an official statement of the American College of Sports Medicine.