Funny movies help blood flow to your heart
18 January 2006
by Carina
Lee
|
A research study in the British Medical Journal Heart has shown that by watching comedy films, a person's heart receives increased blood flow. A team of scientists tested this by asking 20 young adults to watch films of varying genres for about 15 to 30 minutes without any previous stimulation. While their bodies were clear of any adrenaline-inducing stimulus such as alcohol, drugs, or aerobic exercise, brachial artery blood flow was recorded after each emotional response of either laughter or sadness. Because the brachial artery runs from the shoulder down the elbow, it provides a pretty good indication of the blood flow through the body. According to the authors of this study, watching sad films are equivalent to remembering episodes of anger; while watching happy or humorous films are equivalent to a good work out of aerobic exercise. The overall result concluded that the difference in flow between sad and happy responses was more than 50 per cent. |
  watching happy or humorous films are equivalent to a good work out of aerobic exercise.
|
Related Links
Original press release fromEurekAlert
Nature
& Science News
ClearlyExplained.com