Music and Laughter Help Lower Blood Pressure

A funny joke or listening to music may help lower your blood pressure, says a new study, maybe as much as losing weight or cutting salt from your diet.

The results were modest, but the reductions in blood pressure were associated with a 5% to 15% lower risk of dying from heart disease.

In the United States, one out of three people have high blood pressure, and one in five people have undiagnosed blood pressure; according to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

Presented on Friday at the American Heart Association meeting in Atlanta, Japanese researchers reported that people who attended bimonthly group sessions involving music and laughter lowered their systolic blood pressure by an average of five to six points at the end of three months. The people involved in the study where 90 men and women, ages 40 to 74.

A control group, who did not receive music or laughter therapy, had no change in either blood pressure reading. Systolic blood pressure is the top number. Diastolic blood pressure is the bottom number.

Experts compared the effects on blood pressure on someone consuming less salt, taking blood pressure medication, or losing ten pounds. But music and laughter is not enough to treat blood pressure.

Previous research has shown that upbeat music improved the inner lining of blood vessels, allowing them to expand by 30%. Also, the release of nitric oxide may help lower blood pressure. Nitric oxide (nitrogen monoxide) is a signaling molecule in the human body and other mammals.

Risk factors for high blood pressure include obesity, lack of exercise, family history, and over-consumption of salt (sodium).

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Lovers of salt might suppress movements of high blood pressure.

For some good news salt lovers! Fewer measure the high blood pressure high sodium diet on movement of people, according to new research.

A diet high in salt, widely accepted as one of the key factors that contribute to high blood pressure, salt-sensitive people loop holes found in this new research shows.

Tulane University School of public health and tropical medicine research about 1900 men and 38 women's average age is in at New Orleans learned that groups of people in northern China that was carried out. Was a participant of high blood pressure medications.

During the first week of the study participants 3000 mg sodium daily delivery, food was given. Next week, all 18,000 mg sodium, fed per day. Everyone's blood pressure was asked to determine level of exercise every week and participants a series of questions that measured nine times. When switching to a systolic blood pressure high sodium diet had a 5% increase in "high salt sensitive" and said it was.

Higher group result in the most active person is 38% at least active salt-sensitive risk found that. Best group: participants 17 percent lower risk and had at least 10% to the Group of low-risk. People exercising salt sensitivity for high blood pressure risk of developing significantly to the study concluded. Make sure that results of this study is promising but repeated they must peer, researchers note.

You must use caution before this study salt enthusiasts of all there's good news uses research as a justification to consume more sodium. Since then, the movement only 38 percent, to reduce the risk of exercise risk there is.

Movement of people his blood pressure checked regularly and adjust your sodium intake.

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