It turns out that issues regarding the health of our hearts just might be a laughing matter, after all. Two recent studies have discovered that laughter not only reduces stress and protects the heart, but it also seems to improve blood flow and thereby help lower blood pressure.

In one study, researchers measured the flow of blood in the arteries, also known as arterial compliance, of their test subjects in response to either a humorous or a serious stimulus (i.e., watching a comedy or documentary, respectively).

What they found was that the subjects in the humorous group actually achieved improved arterial compliance that lasted for a period of 24 hours after experiencing the laughter. The significance of this has to do with the fact that the flow of blood in our arteries is directly linked to the health of our heart, whereby the decreased flow of blood can lead to hypertension and heart disease.

The second study found that not only did humor help maintain the proper vascular function, as measured the dilation of the subject’s blood vessels (another indicator of hypertension), but when subjects were presented with a sad or depressing subject, vascular function was actually hindered as indicated by a constriction of blood vessels by as much as 18%.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States with projected costs in 2009 of more than $300 billion. Studies have shown that people who suffer from heart disease reduce their risk of a dying from heart disease by taking steps that include lowering their blood pressure. Furthermore, healthy individuals can lower their chances of developing heart disease in the first place by maintaining their blood pressure in a healthy range.

In light of all this, it makes sense for everyone to laugh a little more, for a number of reasons. After all, improved circulation allows our bodies to get more oxygen and nutrients to our various cells and organs, while removing waste products of metabolism. Laughing is also believed to release endorphins (there’s a reason it feels so good to laugh) and have a positive impact on our breathing. And when you really get down to it, being the social creatures that we are, laughing is a way to endear ourselves to the people around us.

But just as important is the fact that laughing is simply a sign of being in good spirits and of course, being happy. And when you get down to it, happiness is something that just doesn’t seem to get the attention that it deserves in this day and age. It’s a fairly simple thing, but like our health and our families, it gets pushed aside in the grind of our daily lives.

So don’t take your happiness for granted. Laugh whenever possible, and whatever you do, be happy. For the health of it.