Which circulatory effect is associated with humor?

Which circulatory effect is associated with humor?

• A. Reduced circulation
• B. Improved heart rate variability
• C. Stimulated circulation
• D. Decreased blood flow

Answer: (C)

Humor prompts laughter, which momentarily ramps up heart rate and breathing, boosting blood flow through the body. That physical activity of laughing increases cardiac output and enhances circulation, then the relaxation that follows can support better blood flow as vessels vasodilate. So humor is associated with stimulated circulation—the active increase in circulating blood during and after laughter. Reduced circulation or decreased blood flow aren’t aligned with what laughter does, and while positive mood can influence autonomic balance, the clear circulatory effect described here is increased, or stimulated, circulation.

Humor prompts laughter, which momentarily ramps up heart rate and breathing, boosting blood flow through the body. That physical activity of laughing increases cardiac output and enhances circulation, then the relaxation that follows can support better blood flow as vessels vasodilate. So humor is associated with stimulated circulation—the active increase in circulating blood during and after laughter. Reduced circulation or decreased blood flow aren’t aligned with what laughter does, and while positive mood can influence autonomic balance, the clear circulatory effect described here is increased, or stimulated, circulation.