Laugh Your Way to Lower Blood Pressure
The findings of a study presented at the American Heart Association meeting in Atlanta in March revealed that listening to your favorite tunesor hearing a good joke could have as much effect on your blood pressure as cutting salt in your diet or losing ten pounds.
In the study, a group of people participated in bimonthly sessions that focused on music and laughter. Their systolic blood pressure dropped by an average of five to six points after three months. A control group showed no change in that time period. Even a small drop in blood pressure can make a significant difference. A drop of just five points is linked to a ten percent lower risk of death from heart attack or stroke.
Of course, music and laughter alone are not sufficient to treat high blood pressure. But for anyone looking for a way to increase their overall health, it is important to remember this mind-heart connection. It is a natural way to improve health and could eventually lead to a reduction in medication.