WebMD Medical News Laura J. Martin, MD March 25, 2011 -- Middle-
aged men and women may be able to lower their blood pressure
readings by laughing more and listening to music they enjoy, new
research indicates. Researchers at Osaka University in Japan set
out to determine whether music and laughter interventions would
reduce blood pressure in one of two situations: immediately
after listening to music or laughing and after three months of
one-hour interventions that took place once every two weeks. The
scientists signed up 79 people between 40 and 74, who were
randomly assigned to one of three groups. Thirty-two listened to
music, 30 were assigned to a laughter group, and 17 neither
listened to music nor participated in laughter sessions. Those
in the music group sang, listened, and stretched to music. The
participants were urged to listen to music at home. Those in the
laughter group were entertained by “laughter yogis” and
participated in laughter yoga, which combines breathing
exercises with laughter stimul