A study from 2000 details yet another benefit of humor / laughter:
“Laughter, along with an active sense of humor, may help you protect yourself against a heart attack.”
The study surveyed 300 people, half of which had heart problems and half of which had no history of heart disease. The people who had suffered a heart attack or had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery were 40 percent less likely to laugh in a variety of situations compared to people of the same age without heart disease.
Other interesting notes / quotes from the study include:
- “People with heart disease were less likely to recognize humor or use it to get out of uncomfortable situations.”
- “The old saying that ‘laughter is the best medicine,’ definitely appears to be true when it comes to protecting your heart.”
- “The recommendation for a healthy heart may one day be–exercise, eat right and laugh a few times a day.”
For a dose of laughter medicine, check out some of the web’s best office humor.
Source: Laughter is Good for Your Heart by Barbara Crawford. University of Maryland Medical Center. Retrieved April 7, 2009.
Want to help Humor That Works? Take the Humor That Works Survey.
Enjoy this post? Get the latest humor via RSS or sign up for the Humor Newsletter.
More Humor:
