Laugh more for your heart: Here’s how it helps you live longer

Laughter has its own set of benefits. It helps in boosting mood and creating a sense of community among people. But did you know that you can dodge heart diseases by laughing more? Researchers from Yamagata University conducted a new research where they tracked 17,152 people – aged 40 or younger – and their laughing patterns. Their study says that when we laugh more, we can boost our heart health. Now the study has pushed the Japanese government to pass a law to order the citizens of the northern province of Yamagata to laugh daily.
The study states that increasing the frequency of laughter can boost heart health and make us live longer. The benefits of laughter have been extensively explored and studied throughout the world. A study published in the journal Preventive Medicine states that when older adults laugh more with their friends and family, they can alleviate the risk of developing health problems that people in their age usually suffer from.
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Another study in Nursing & Health Sciences states that when we laugh dramatically, it can reduce cortisol – the stress hormone – levels in the body and reduce anxiety. Laughter helps in activating the natural relaxation process of the body and makes us feel better.
Robin Dunbar, an emeritus professor of evolutionary psychology at the University of Oxford studied the physiological and psychological effects of laughter for years. He stated that laughing helps in boosting mood and increasing immunity. He further added that when we belly laugh, the exertions of the rib cage help in the release of endorphins, which helps in managing pain, making us feel blissful and promoting better heart health.
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While laughter contributes to better health, its benefits in social behaviour are immense. Sophie Scott, a professor at UCL and the director of the Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience stated that we are more likely to laugh with someone, than just with ourselves. It helps in creating a bond and making us feel included. Laughter improves the quality of our relationships – this also makes our heart feel young and happy.
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