The health benefits of laughter: Part 3
8. Laughter lowers your blood pressure
People who laugh a lot on a regular basis have lower blood pressure than the average person. When people have a good laugh, the blood pressure increases at first, but then it decreases to levels below normal.
Breathing then becomes deeper and this helps to send oxygen-rich blood and nutrients throughout the body.
9. Laughter improves your breathing
Laughter empties your lungs of more air than it takes in resulting in a cleansing effect - similar to deep breathing. This is especially helpful for people who are suffering from respiratory ailments, such as asthma.
10. Laughter helps you lose weight
Burning off calories by laughing might not sound as if it has much use, but a hearty chuckle raises the heart rate and speeds up the metabolism.
If you're dieting, think about adding laughter to your exercise regime. A good sitcom might easily keep you laughing for 20 minutes or more.
More help and advice
- Expert advice on asthma
- Tips on coping with asthma
- How fruit and veg can help high blood pressure
- Speed up your metabolism with the Eat Every 13 Minutes Diet
By Rob Mansfield
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