3 Things That Happen In The Body When We Laugh

Medical Video: How Laughing Affects Our Health (And Why Its The BEST MEDICINE)

People say, laughter is healthy. It can make you happier, happier, and release burdens that might be a problem for you. This expression is not wrong.

In 2001, as published in WebMD, researchers from the University of Maryland conducted a study that showed that laughter is the last weapon to treat heart disease. So the researchers reported to the American Heart Association, which says the heart of someone who has a problem will be healthier when laughing regularly, and using humor to deal with problems.

In a study conducted by Michael Miller, MD, director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, he and his colleagues asked 150 people who had had a heart attack or heart surgery go to a party, and without them knowing, there they will meet someone who wears clothes identical to them, or there will be a waiter who spills drinks on them. The researchers then compared the responses they showed, both from heart disease sufferers, and from 150 healthy respondents without heart problems.

As a result, healthier people are more likely to laugh and use humor to get out of these uncomfortable situations. On the other hand, only 40% of people with heart problems face this situation with laughter.

Not yet known how exactly laughter can protect the heart, Miller said. But some evidence suggests that laughter, giggling, or laughing effects can reduce stress hormones such as cortisol, while reducing blood pressure. This means that laughter can reduce the risk of heart disease. "As is known, mental stress can damage the endothelium, the protective lining of the arteries," Miller said again.

Miller continued, in addition to physiological effects, there are additional mechanisms to explain why laughter is good for the heart and your health. He hopes to find out more in the next study.

Lee Berk, DrPh, the study pioneer laughed, saying laughter has been shown to reduce cortisol and other stress hormones, although not everyone agrees. "Laughter can also improve the immune system," added Berk who is also director of the Center for Neurommunology at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and Health Promotion and Education professor at the University School of Public Health.

In his study published American Journal of the Medical Sciences In December 1989, he found that laughter was a good type of stress repellent. It reduces cortisol, epinephrine, and other bad substances in the blood. Increased cortisol and epinephrine will suppress the immune system, so reducing this level is believed to be beneficial to the body.

3 benefits of laughter for the body

When paying attention to what has been explained by a number of researchers above, briefly laughing can have an effect on our body in this matter.

1. Lower blood pressure

Just as explained above, laughter lowers blood pressure. So it's a good idea to laugh often (provided you don't laugh too often yourself). A person's blood pressure drops due to laughter can also protect you from strokes and heart problems.

2. Forming the abdominal muscles

In addition to exercising and mocking, laughing can be one solution to form the abdominal muscles to be tight and also free from bad fats. When we laugh, the abdominal muscles will be attracted and contracted. Almost the same situation occurs when you practice shaping the stomach in the gym.

3. Producing endorphins

Endorphins are natural painkillers in the body. It also stimulates a sense of happiness in the brain, so that it will make you more relaxed and able to control emotions.

READ ALSO: