How Laughter Can Help Your Heart

Stress is a well-known risk factor for heart disease. But the opposite of stress – laughter and lightheartedness – may actually help protect your heart.

"Laughter may have a beneficial effect that promotes healthy blood vessels," says Brett Carroll, MD, Director of Vascular Medicine in the CardioVascular Institute at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Research suggests that brain chemicals called endorphins, released during laughter, stimulate the inner lining of blood vessels, known as endothelium. This, in turn, releases nitric oxide, a molecule known to relax arteries.

At the same time, laughter can help reduce the production of stress hormones, including cortisol and epinephrine, which are known to cause blood vessels to constrict, increasing the risks of high blood pressure as well as stroke and heart attack.

A good belly laugh may also have other benefits:

• By increasing the number of antibody-producing cells, laughter may help to boost the body's immune system.
• Laughter may help keep weight in check by reducing cortisol, a stress hormone known to lead to weight gain.

"We don't have a specific 'laughter' prescription, but we know that diet, exercise and healthy lifestyle habits, along with stress reduction and positive emotional health are beneficial for your cardiovascular system," says Carroll.

In today's chaotic world, this may be more important than ever. Although it can be more challenging to maintain relationships when we're feeling overwhelmed, sharing a joke or funny memory with friends and family via a phone or video call can be a good antidote to stress.

"Physical isolation can lead to loneliness," says Elizabeth LaSalvia, MD, a geriatric psychiatrist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. "But keep in mind that there is a difference between being physically distant and emotionally distant." She recommends that people be proactive and reach out to family and friends, or call someone you've meant to catch up with for awhile.

Other ways to encourage laughter: watch a sitcom, read a funny book or tune in to a stand-up comedian. While it remains to be seen whether laughter is the best medicine, when it comes to your cardiac health, it can play a role in keeping your heart in shape. No joke.