Combining laughter and exercise a great way to boost health in the elderly: study

Combining laughter and exercise a great way to boost health in the elderly: study
Incorporating laughter into a physical activity program could improve older adults' mental health.

Adults should participate in a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity at least five days a week to achieve desirable health outcomes, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services’ 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines. These health benefits include lower mortality and a reduced risk of a number of chronic conditions, including coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, osteoporosis, colon cancer, breast cancer, anxiety and depression. Regular physical activity also reduces the impact of age-related declines in aerobic endurance, the incidence of falls and hip fracture and the degenerative loss of muscle mass, quality and strength. All of these benefits are crucial in older adults maintaining their ability to perform activities of daily living. The pleasant associations with laughter may add enjoyment to an exercise program and keep older adults motivated to work out, the researchers noted, in the paper published in the journal The Gerontologist . For six weeks, the participants in the study attended two 45-minute physical activity sessions per week that included eight to 10 laughter exercises lasting 30 to 60 seconds each. As laughter is scientifically demonstrated to strengthen and relax muscles, the intentional laughter exercise was incorporated into the workout routine after every two to four strength, balance and flexibility exercises. Also Read: 6 reasons why laughing is good for health

Source: IANS

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