Laughter, music may lower blood pressure

Researchers found that people who took part in sessions built around music or laughter lowered their blood pressure.Laughing and listening to upbeat music improved the function of the inner lining of blood vesselsBut music and laughter alone aren't sufficient to treat high blood pressure.More research is needed to understand how humor affects a person's emotions

(Health.com) -- Listening to your favorite tunes or funny jokes could lower your blood pressure, perhaps even as much as cutting salt from your diet or dropping 10 pounds, according to the preliminary results of a small study presented Friday at American Heart Association meeting in Atlanta.

In the study, Japanese researchers found that people who took part in bimonthly group sessions built around music or laughter lowered their systolic blood pressure (the top number in the reading) by an average of five to six points after three months. By contrast, the average blood-pressure reading in a control group that received neither therapy didn't budge.

Though relatively modest, blood-pressure reductions of the size seen in the study have been linked to a 5% to 15% lower risk of death from heart disease or stroke, says Michael Miller, M.D., director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center, in Baltimore.

"I think there's definitely a physiological effect going on, some sort of mind-heart connection," says Miller, who was not involved in the new study but has conducted similar research.

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Researchers at the Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine randomly assigned 90 men and women between the ages of 40 and 74 to receive hourlong music or laughter sessions every other week, or no therapy at all.

In the music sessions, participants listened, sang, and stretched to their choice of Japanese pop, classical, or jazz. (They were also encouraged to listen to music at home.) The laughter sessions included listening to humorous Japanese storytelling somewhat akin to stand-up comedy and laughter yoga, a practice of faking laughter until it feels natural.

After three months, the average systolic blood pressure in the music and laughter groups had dropped by 6 mmHg and 5 mmHg, respectively, whereas there was no change in the control group. What's more, measurements taken immediately before and after each therapy session revealed short-term dips of 6 mmHg to 7 mmHg associated with each session.

The three-month decline is in the range of what could be expected in someone adopting a low-salt diet, losing 10 pounds, or taking a blood-pressure-lowering medication, Miller says.

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He adds, though, that music and laughter alone aren't sufficient to treat high blood pressure. "This is a great natural tool to improve your health, but I wouldn't recommend replacing medication," Miller says. "Although it could increase your likelihood of going off medication or reducing the dosage."

How, exactly, music and laughter might benefit blood pressure remains unclear. The lead study researcher, Eri Eguchi, says that by promoting relaxation the therapies may lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that can contribute to high blood pressure.

And in a previous study, Miller and his colleagues showed that both laughing and listening to upbeat music improved the function of the inner lining of blood vessels, causing them to expand by 30%. (Watching or listening to unnerving movies or music -- such as the opening scenes of "Saving Private Ryan"-- had the opposite effect.) Nitric oxide released in response to laughter or music might be the "magic compound" that dilates blood vessels and lowers blood pressure, Miller suggests.

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Vera Brandes, director of the research program in music and medicine at Paracelsus Medical University, in Salzburg, Austria, says that music and laughter may affect blood pressure through different pathways. Music is believed to influence the parasympathetic nervous system, which relaxes the body and slows the heart rate, she says, but more research is needed to understand how humor affects a person's emotional -- and, in turn, physical -- response to stress.

"Even though the effects of music or laughter did not differ significantly in size, the mechanisms are probably only partly the same," Brandes says.

Eguchi presented her findings at the American Heart Association's annual conference on nutrition, physical activity, and metabolism. Unlike the studies published in medical journals, the research has not been thoroughly vetted by other experts.

Copyright Health Magazine 2010

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Christmas Jokes, Games & Best Xmas Party Ideas - Guaranteed Laughter With This Festive Antic

Why is it so important to tell jokes or crack a gag for laughs at Christmas? Is this not already a time where folk jolly themselves and laughter naturally fills the air? Yes indeed it is, and does, but what harm can it possibly do to add more fun to your festive agenda you have planned for family and friends. Although Christmas is a known time for telling jokes, it is also a time when you could offend with your humour. Before cracking a joke remember that some people may not see eye to eye on your sense of humour. Christmas can also be a sad time for some who are good at keeping their hurt closely on the inside and may not feel like laughing. How are you expected to know this? Well you won`t, so more the reason to choose your joke material carefully. Nonetheless we will have the happy people just waiting to split their sides with laughter. Keep jokes clean and funny and especially more so if kiddies are around.

If you have booked a venue hall for your Christmas event then no doubt you will have access to a stage. If you wish to entertain your guests with a show then plan ahead to get it right. Whatever joke is told, if it includes actions the joke will come across funnier regardless of the punch line. Rehearse your act over and over till you are satisfied you have nailed it. Use a mirror for this. It is also a good idea to watch a video of a stand up comedienne to get an insight on how to make people laugh. There is a knack to telling jokes and you will need this if you wish to be a success. Have all your props easily to hand for your stage stunts.

Tradition has Christmas mostly celebrated in the home. To get extra laughs with your joke telling then direct specific gags to particular individuals. People always see the funny side of things when at another`s expense, of course this then changes when they themselves find there on the receiving end. Although this is a sure way to get your laughs, however it can cause heartache "be warned." Okay let the fun begin now that the bellies of all are full and dishes washed and put away.

Clean Humorous Christmas Party Gags

Joke 1 What do monkeys sing at Christmas? Jungle Bells, Jungle bells

Joke 2 Why is Christmas trees like bad knitters? Both drop their needles

Joke 3 What did the bald man say when he got a comb for Christmas? Thanks, I'll never part with it

Joke 4 What do you get if you cross an apple with a Christmas tree? A pineapple

Joke 5 What did the big candle say to the little candle? I'm going out tonight

Joke 6 How long does it take to burn a candle down? A wick

Joke 7 What do sheep say to each other at Christmas? Merry Christmas to ewe

Joke 8 What do sheep say to shepherds at Christmas? Season`s Bleating to you

Joke 9 What do angry mice send to each other in December? Cross mouse cards

Joke 10 What's the best thing to put into Christmas dinner? Your teeth that`s what

Christmas party games for the kids and grownups.

Always plan ahead to avoid last minute hiccups. It's surprising how may fun games are never played because the host forgot something of importance that a game can not be played without, for example play bingo without tickets. Ludo without the dice or the game crackerjack without the cracker, or heaven forbid the jack.

Game 1 - Grab the Gift

Ask your guests to bring a small gift with them to your party. Set a budget for this - anything from £5 - £10 - less if money is tight. Collect all the gifts and let each person choose a number out of a bowl. The person that picks the lowest number goes first and chooses a gift. This is a good way to ensuring that everyone gets a gift on the big day

Game 2 - Picture Charades a largely popular game played this festive season

You will need blank paper and pencils for this game. Give each guest a card with a name of a Christmas carol written on it. That person has to then draw out the Christmas carol and let the rest of the group guess what it is. Have them sing their guess (carol.) The person to get it right goes next, drawing their mystery carol, and so on.

Game 3 - Pin the Nose on the Reindeer is a Christmas game to surely excite whatever age of the players.

Draw a picture of a reindeer on card. Leave an outline of the nose but don't color it in. Separately draw some red noses - one for each child/adult playing - and attach some sticky tape on the back. Blindfold the player and spin them around 5 times. Be on hand to catch them if they get dizzy. Guide them over to where you have placed the picture of the reindeer and get the player to place the nose on it. The one who gets the nose closest to the actual reindeer nose wins the game! This game is similar to pin the tail on the donkey. If you have several cards with pictures of a reindeer, don`t color the nose in, let your players do that when blindfolded. You may bet that the reindeer ends up with more than his nose red.

Its fact that time flies by when you`re enjoying yourself. It is also fact how hunger can interrupt fun activities even though dinner was filling. To avoid this happening place a table in gaming area with cold foods on. If the table be placed somewhere else you may lose players. Most ideal for filling the gap is turkey sandwiches, sausage rolls, assorted cold meats, chicken drumsticks, cheese straws, pork pies, crisps, nuts and pickles.

End the evening off and play back to your family and friends all daytime events that you "secretly" videoed without them knowing. It only takes a minute to "set up" a camera to "set up" everyone. Now this is entertainment of the funniest sort.

Funtime Jokes & Gags