You know how much better you feel after an evening of good stories and laugher with friends, yet are you aware of the benefits to your health?

Laughter, along with an active sense of humor, may help protect you against a heart attack, according to a recent study by cardiologists at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. The study found that people with heart disease:

• Were 40 percent less likely to laugh in a variety of situations compared to people of the same age without heart disease
• Responded less humorously to everyday life situations.
• Generally laughed less, even in positive situations and they displayed more anger and hostility.

Additionally, UMM News suggests that a good hearty laugh can help:

• reduce stress
• lower blood pressure
• elevate mood
• boost immune system
• improve brain functioning
• protect the heart
• connect you to others
• foster instant relaxation
• make you feel good.

"The ability to laugh -- either naturally or as learned behavior -- may have important implications in societies such as the U.S. where heart disease remains the number one killer," says Miller (author of the above study.) "We know that exercising, not smoking and eating foods low in saturated fat will reduce the risk of heart disease. Perhaps regular, hearty laughter should be added to the list."

This week, surround yourself with people, movies, books or whatever influences typically make you laugh. See just how much more productive you'll be next week for having made the effort!

Enjoy your discoveries, laughter and health! Have a great week!

Ann

What People Are Saying About Ann's Thoughts:

Often in life when a person learns a valuable lesson, or reads something very enlightening, or in some way stumbles upon something profound that could be beneficial not only to them but to others, they keep it to themselves. They don't want to let you in on "their secret" for fear that you might appear to be a smarter, more informed, or a more thought provoking person in other people's eyes, than they were before they shared their discovery with you. They want to be unique, and be the only one who can use this information to appear to be this deep, philosophical, and enlightened person to the people that they encounter. By withholding the information that they have benefited from; they are in a sense "stealing" from others, by "taking away" the privilege that these people could have used to improve their lives.

Your readers are lucky in that you have a sincere desire to share the insight that to help others attain the degree of understanding and comprehension that you have discovered. You willingly and freely "give away" all of your "secrets" in order to help people become better persons in both their work lives and family lives. I appreciate your generosity; thank you for sharing your wisdom and expertise with us.
~Karoline Beck, Columbia River Bank, Bend, OR

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Permission is granted to either reproduce copy or distribute "Your Success Thought for the Week for May 21, 2008" as long as this copyright notice and full information about contacting the author is attached. The author is Ann Golden Eglé, Golden Visions Success Coaching, LLC, 541.385.8887, PO Box 1696, Bend, Or. 97709. www.goldenvisionscoaching.com