By Carol Smith

When you think of taking care of your heart, very rarely does laughter pop in most people’s minds. You might be surprised at the health benefits of laughter, particularly to heart.

Researchers have scrutinized the heart benefits of laughter and the evidence is very strong. “The old saying that ‘laughter is the best medicine,’ definitely appears to be true when it comes to protecting your heart,” says Michael Miller, M.D., F.A.C.C., director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

A study by cardiologists at the University of Maryland found that people with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh as compared to people of the same age without heart disease. While it is unclear how laughter helps the heart, it is widely believed that mental stress can adds to the impairment of the endothelium, the protective barrier lining the blood vessels. Laughter is believed to alleviate the effects of mental stress.

In the study, it was determined that people who have heart disease are less likely to find the humor in every day situations that affect us all. People with heart disease tended to be more angry and hostile. Doctors now speculate that in addition to a healthy diet and exercise, daily laughter may help keep the heart healthy.

The benefits of laughter reach beyond the heart. Laughter minimizes pain, as well as stress. It helps to bring the body into physical, as well as emotional alignment. Laughter can inspire hope, connect you to others and lightens the burdens of life.