Chijioke Iremeka
As Nigeria’s economic woes remain unabated, cardiologists have urged Nigerians to embrace laughter to avoid having heart attacks over the depressing situation.
They noted that laughter helps to reduce the risk of high blood pressure and heart attack by regulating stress hormones.
According to them, laughter enhances blood flow and also improves vascular function.
The cardiologists emphasised that laughter positively affects the body and mind because it triggers the release of endorphins, which are natural mood lifters. These endorphins promote a sense of well-being and improve the immune system.
Rising food and transportation costs, the fuel subsidy removal announced in May 2023, and the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria to float the naira against other currencies have caused a serious economic crisis in the country.
It has further led to a rise in suicide rates in the country.
According to the World Health Organisation, economic crisis leads to secondary mental health problems that could increase suicide and alcohol death rates.
The British Heart Foundation notes that laughing with friends or giggling over a favourite comedy show makes one feel good and makes the heart healthier.
A study by Brazilian Professor, Marco Saffi, and his team presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in 2023, showed that people with coronary heart disease who regularly watched comedy shows had better heart and circulatory system health compared to those who watched serious documentaries.
The study further showed that laughter therapy led to improvements in the heart and circulation rates as the arteries were able to expand to a greater extent and oxygen flow around the body improved.
Speaking exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise in different interviews, the physicians said that genuine laughter could be used as therapy, noting that it enables the muscles to relax, and reduces stress hormones and blood pressure.
A Consultant Cardiologist at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Professor Augustine Odili, said laughter had been good for cardiovascular systems and the general well-being of humans.
The expert, who is also the National President of the Nigerian Cardiac Society, explained that once the laughter is a genuine one that comes from the within and not the one forced on a sad mind, it has the potential to reduce issues of cardiovascular challenges.
Affirming the fact that laughter helps to draw up oxygen that helps the total body circulation system, Odili said, “We know from studies that the act of laughter could be a therapy, but I can’t say the quantity that makes it a therapy. For instance, I can’t say five minutes or 10 minutes of laughter per day is required to have good cardiovascular health.
“But the research by the British Heart Foundation that mentioned three minutes of genuine smiles could be a strong point. Trying to make someone laugh when they feel like crying is not that. But if you are open to it, you can shift your mood in an instant by watching something funny or laughing with somebody.
“It can be helpful and may create a sense of safety and warmth. Laughter is often referred to as a good medicine, and good for many reasons. Medically, laughter has numerous health benefits that positively impact both the body and mind.
“Even the Bible says that a cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Laughter is good and it helps to lighten up the burdened heart.
“In fact, in the case of people who drink, we have tried to determine the reason their system is good despite drinking, whether it is the drinks or that people who drink are naturally happy.
“But it was also discovered that most times, when these people drink, they are happy and they compose some songs, singing and laughing. And this improved their vascular system.
“So, laughing is good for the entire body and health. In the current Nigeria, I will encourage people to do what makes them laugh and happy. Laughter is healthy and could be therapy.”
The cardiologist and specialist in hypertension urged Nigerians to do anything that would make them laugh and happy and help them reduce stress, saying that stress is a major problem with vascular problems, including strokes.
He stressed that laughter triggered the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals, which could elevate mood and promote a sense of well-being, emphasising that this biochemical response helped reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
Odili added that laughter could stimulate circulation and improve cardiovascular health, enhancing blood flow, leading to improved vascular function and potentially reducing the risk of heart disease.
Speaking further, a Consultant Cardiologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Dr Adesanya Olusegun-Joseph said laughter therapy could improve the heart and circulation conditions.
He noted that during laughter, the arteries could expand and increase oxygen flow around the body.
This, he stated, would lead to the reduction of the inflammation markers in the blood, which could predict the chance of a heart attack or stroke.
“Other research has shown the positive effects of laughter on the body. Laughter releases endorphins, known as ‘feel-good hormones.’ It increases the oxygen-rich air one takes in and reduces stress hormones, bringing down the heart rate and blood pressure and causing muscles to relax,” he added.
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