Take one and recite to me in the morning. - Here's some interesting health news that qualifies for the oddity category, because... well, it just odd. And odd can be fun and good and entertaining.
Randy Dotinga reports for ABC News:
In a new study, European researchers suggest that the rhythms of ancient poetry can synchronize the body's heart and respiration rates. Similar positive effects have been linked to the Catholic rosary prayer and the yoga mantra.
It's far from clear if doctors will ever consider prescribing required reading lists to their patients. But the results are definitely intriguing, said Francois Haas, director of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation research at New York University School of Medicine.
"If there's a message, it's that our internal rhythms can be modified by external stimuli," Haas said.
Actually, I don't suppose this all that surprising. There have been a number of people who could modify my internal rhythms just by their external presence, let alone the cadence of their words.
Plus as someone who fancies himself a poet, poetry comes from the heart, so why wouldn't it be good for the heart?
