Funny films good for the heart

It could help your circulation as much as a brisk walk or jog, researchers claim.

Laughing out loud at movies such as There's Something About Mary speeds up the circulation as effectively as exercise or even taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, they say.

In contrast, watching heart-rending movies such as Saving Private Ryan is said to have the opposite effect.

Mental distress in audiences can reduce blood flow - but not so much that it permanently affects the heart.

Professor Michael Miller and colleagues at the Centre for Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland tested the old proverb about laughter being the best medicine by showing volunteers clips from both sad and funny films.

They found the 'feel-good' effect from a comedy lasted at least 45 minutes.

The boost of blood flow to the heart was as good as aerobic activity or starting on statin drugs, Professor Miller said.

He advised a generous dose of laughter every day for the best result. 'We recommend at least one funny film daily, though we'd suggest watching it while on a treadmill,' he said.

'We'd suggest getting humour from a variety of sources, including bringing funny pictures of family members into the office, getting together with friends for a true happy hour on a regular basis and of course watching a sitcom or comedy.'

In the study 20 healthy young adults watched 15-30 minute segments of sad and humourous films, a minimum of 48 hours apart.

They included the distressing opening scene of Saving Private Ryan and slapstick moments from There's Something About Mary, starring Cameron Diaz.

Both films were released in 1998. The researchers used ultrasound scanning to measure the performance of the brachial artery - which runs from the shoulder to the elbow, and is a good indicator of blood flow around the body.

Blood flow was reduced in 14 volunteers after watching distressing movie clips. But it was increased in 19 after the funny films.

The difference between the two responses was beyond 50 per cent, according to the study published today in the medical journal Heart.

Professor Miller said laughter would not replace drugs but it should have its own place in the medicine chest.

But those contemplating giving up the gym to watch funny DVDs should think again.

Exercise would lead to much greater increases in actual blood flow, perhaps a two-to-three fold increase compared to a 20-30 per cent increase with laughter, the researchers said.

'What is important to keep in mind is not so much the increase in blood flow, per se, but rather that when the blood vessel dilates, it means that protective chemicals are being released,' Professor Miller said.

'These protective chemicals do much more than affect blood flow - they are believed to reduce hardening of the arteries. Laughter may be just as important as exercise in this regard.'