Laughter Yoga

What is Laughter Yoga?

Laughter yoga (Hasyayoga) is a practice involving prolonged voluntary laughter. It is done in groups, with mini exercises and playfulness between participants.

Forced laughter through guided exercises soon turns into real and contagious chuckling. A fun and alternative way to reduce stress!

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​Laughter yoga is a new twist on an ancient practice. Not only does it increase happiness, but it also strengthens the immune system, reduces pain and lowers stress. More contagious than a cough or sneeze, laughter relaxes the whole body. It triggers the release of endorphins, promoting an overall sense of well-being.

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 ​                                                                                                                              Dr. Madan Kataria

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Who created laughter yoga?

In March 1995 Dr. Madan Kataria, a family physician from Mumbai, India, decided to write an article called “Laughter – the best medicine”. The outcome of his research for this article surprised him greatly.

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What is the laughter therapy?

Laughter is a natural medicine. Laughter therapy, also called humor therapy, is the use of humor to promote overall health and wellness. It aims to use the natural physiological process of laughter to help relieve physical or emotional stress or discomfort.

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Why do you laugh?

We only laugh during pauses when we would cough or breathe. We believe laughter evolved from the panting behavior of our ancient primate ancestors. And it's the root of human laughter. Apes laugh in conditions in which human laughter is produced, like in a tickle, rough and tumble play, and chasing games.

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Is laughing good for your heart?

Laughing maintains a healthy endothelium and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. When you laugh, the blood flow increases and the blood pressure rises; but when you stop laughing, blood pressure drops back to its baseline

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Benefits of laughter yoga

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1. Stress Reliever: Laughter is an effective anti-stress emotion-filled activity and one of the best muscle relaxants. Laughter dilates blood vessels and supplies more blood to the muscles all over the body. A good laugh also reduces the levels of stress hormones epinephrine and cortisol. Laughing does not require any conscious thought process. Our senses effortlessly combine harmoniously resulting in joy, peace, and relaxation. Laughter is the easiest form of meditation, which brings instant relaxation. Whereas, other types of meditation require undivided concentration and involves avoiding distracting thoughts.

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2. Immune System Booster: The immune system is responsible for maintaining good health and preventing infections, allergies, and cancers. Negative emotions like anxiety, depression or anger weaken the immune system and reduce its ability to fight infections. Laughter helps to increase the count of natural killer cells, a type of white blood cell. Researchers have found that laughter therapy increases antibodies (Immunoglobulin A), which is believed to have a protective capacity against some viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms. Members of laughter clubs have noticed a reduction in common colds, sore throats, and chest infections.

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3. Cardiac Health: Laughter is an effective method to control blood pressure by reducing the release of stress-related hormones and promoting relaxation. Experiments have demonstrated that a 10-minutes laughter session leads to a reduction of 10-20 mm in blood pressure. Laughter may not completely cure patients who take 2-3 pills for blood pressure every day. But, it can certainly reduce the dosage or eliminate the need for medication in borderline high blood pressure patients. Laughter may be the best preventive medicine for those who are at a high risk of developing heart disease, as it improves the blood circulation and oxygen supply to the heart muscle. An improvement in blood circulation results in reduced possibilities of clot formation.

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4. Effective Exercise: The most notable benefit almost everybody derives from laughter is a sense of well-being. A 15-minute laughter session in the morning can keep you alert and fresh throughout the day. The reason for this is that you inhale more oxygen while laughing. Laughter is equivalent to any aerobic exercise, minus the sweating. According to some experts, a minute of laughter is equal to 10 minutes on the rowing machine. Laughter stimulates heart and blood circulation and is suited for sedentary people and those who are confined to a bed or a wheelchair.

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5. Respiratory Ailments: Laughter is one of the best exercises for those suffering from asthma and bronchitis. It improves the lung capacity and increases oxygen levels in the blood. Doctors recommend chest physiotherapy to remove mucus from the respiratory tracts. Patients who are part of the laughter club have reported a notable decrease in the frequency of asthma attacks. Laughter therapy increases the antibody levels in the mucous membranes of the respiratory passages, which helps reduce the frequency of chest infections. Stress is another factor that can cause an asthma attack. By reducing stress, laughter can help ease the symptoms of the disease.

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6. Emotional Conditions: The stress and strain caused by modern day life adversely affects the mind and body. Emotional conditions such as anxiety, deep sadness, nervous breakdowns, and insomnia are at an all time high. Laughter has caused positive changes in many people who take tranquilizers. Laughter has helped such patients achieve better sleep and helped them overcome stress and anxiety.

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7. Natural Pain Killer: Laughter increases the levels of endorphins, which are our body’s natural painkillers. Endorphins released as a result of laughter may help in reducing the intensity of pain in people who suffer from arthritis, spondylitis and muscular spasms of the body. Many women have reported a reduced frequency of migraine headaches.

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8. Controlling Breathing: Many people are shallow breathers and don't breathe deeply, which is how one must breathe. Laughing helps them take in more air and activate the lungs completely. Laughter therapy can immensely benefit singers and actors. It increases lung capacity and exercises the diaphragm and abdominal muscles, which result in better speech and vocal cord control. Singers will tell you how important it is to control breathing . Moreover, even actors must know how to control their breathing for efficient dialogue delivery. Laughter also enhances self-confidence and helps overcome stage fear by relaxing the body.

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9. Increase Stamina: Lung power is one of the factors that determines stamina in sports. People with low breathing power soon run out of steam. A good bout of laughter before commencing any competitive sports activity can increase relaxation levels and performance. Laughter can be beneficial as an exercise in any kind of sports activity.

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10. Exercise Facial Muscles: Exercises have been designed for all the muscles of the body. But for the facial muscles, no exercises exist except in Yoga. Laughter is an excellent exercise for facial muscles. It tones the muscles of the face and improves facial expressions. Laughter also increases blood supply to the face, which nourishes facial skin and makes it glow. Laughing makes people look more cheerful and attractive. Laughter engages the facial muscles and makes one appear young and healthy.