A prescription for happy hearts

Happiness and laughter are contagious, make us feel good, and even protect our hearts. We all know what happens when someone gets the giggles, those around start laughing as well. Laughter emanates from happy people.
Facebook has been tracking happiness and found that it spreads more reliably than unhappiness. You are 15 percent more likely to be happy if your direct connection is happy. It seems we might finally be putting to rest the old chestnut “misery loves company.”
There has been long-term research, both in this country and in Europe, regarding heart health which shows that people at greatest risk for heart attacks are people who experience continued subtle stress, depression, and anger. The lowest heart attack risk is among happy people.
A consistent message regarding heart health has been voiced for more than 10 years by Dr. Redford B. Williams, who told me when I first interviewed him: “Eschew anger. It will do a world of good for your heart.” Williams, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University, has researched the link between heart disease and the hostility and anger of Type A behavior.
Last month, on ABC News, Dr. Williams reaffirmed the danger of anger to one’s heart and emphasized how cynical hostility might point to the need for anger management.
Of course we know that many heart conditions are genetic or of a physical nature, and because heart disease continues to be a leading cause of death, we often read of preventive measures. We know intuitively that happiness must be healthier than hostility, yet sometimes it is difficult to let go of anger. Anger is basically a forgiveness problem and those who keep reliving a hurtful event, rather than “letting go,” put their hearts in danger.
Here are other preventive measures for your heart: Spend time with friends and family. Manage subtle stress. Laugh often. And exercise.
But my very favorite preventive is the chocolate cure. A bit of chocolate a day is what the European Heart Journal revealed in May 2010. Researchers followed 19,357 participants between the ages of 35 and 65 for 10 years and found that the chocolate lovers who ate 7.5 grams a day — had both lower blood pressure and a reduced risk for having a heart attack.
In an observational study with participants in the Nova Scotia Health Survey, the European Heart Journal noted in February 2010 that researchers who followed 1,739 people during a 10-year period found that the “usually happy, enthusiastic and content are less likely to develop heart disease.”
The choice seems clear: a bit of chocolate, friendship, forgiveness, and a smile — it’s a prescription that most of us can live with for the sake of our hearts.
Rita Watson is one of The Journal’s relationship columnists for the Features section. She holds a Master of Public Health degree from Yale.