Something for your funny bone: People who watched comedy films like There’s Something About Mary had better blood flow, compared with those who watched dramas like Saving Private Ryan, according to a study at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. Principal researcher Michael Miller, MD, director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology, recommends 15 minutes of daily laughter.
Don’t have enough time for movies or sitcoms? Get your giggles anytime from YouTube’s comedy section.
7. Don’t skimp on sleep
Women who sleep less than five hours each night have a 30 percent higher risk of heart disease than those getting eight hours, according to a study from the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Too little sleep may play havoc with your hormones, blood sugar, and blood pressure. So after getting your 15 minutes of laughs, turn off that PC and turn in.
8. Breathe deeper
You can lower your blood pressure by taking 10 breaths per minute (instead of the usual 16 to 19) for 15 minutes a day over two months, studies show. Researcher David Anderson, PhD, a hypertension expert at the National Institute on Aging, says shallow breathing (more beats per minute) may delay your body's excretion of salt, a high-blood-pressure trigger.
9. Feel the beat
A group of University of Oxford researchers found that slow, meditative musical rhythms can lead to a healthy drop in heart rate, while faster rhythms speed up breathing and circulation. Got dance music on your iPod? Try mixing in some smooth jazz, too.
More Healthy Heart articles:
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Why Women Should Worry More About Heart Attacks
More than 450,000 American women die from heart disease each year. Here's what you need to know now.
