What is Laughter Yoga (or Laughter Yoga Therapy)?

Parks, Movies, tv serials, society garden… You might have seen people laughing loudly in a group together for no apparent reason. Your first reaction might have been somewhere close to labeling them lunatics or weird. But these people are doing is Laughter Yoga or Laughter Yoga therapy. It also goes by Laughter therapy.

Laughter Yoga Therapy

Laughter Yoga Therapy
Laughter Yoga Therapy

Like every other Yoga pose, this was also originated in India. Now on what is Laughter Yoga, it’s exercising prolonged voluntary laughter. If you’re doubting if this voluntary laugh will provide the same effects of the spontaneous laugh, then yes the results are pretty much the same. It provides physiological and psychological benefits.
You can start doing it in groups with jokes, banter and playfulness between participants. It doesn’t take long for the forced laugh to turn into real and contagious laughter.
This therapy originated in India in mid 1990s by Indian Physician Doctor Madan Kataria. Dr. Kataria has also wrote about the Laughter Yoga Therapy practice in his book book Laugh For No Reason.
Laughter Yoga is performed without any humorous reason to laugh. Regardless of what a mind has to say it is a fact that body can laugh and induce the happy hormones in brain. You don’t need to have a sense of humor, know jokes, or even be happy to perform this Laughter Therapy.

Who can do Laughter Yoga?

Laughter Yoga therapy can be performed by anyone. People of all ages, fitness and cognitive levels can easily indulge in this exercise. You don’t need fancy fitness gear or special clothes to perform the laughter therapy.

Laughter Yoga Therapy
Laughter Yoga Therapy

What are the benefits of Laughter Yoga?

Physical tension and stress are relieved by a good, hearty laugh. Laughter Yoga session will leave your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes.
Laughter Yoga Therapy practice daily will boost the immune system. Unbelievable right? But it decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells. It also helps in stimulating the infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
It releases natural feel-good chemicals in body aka endorphins which promote a sense of well-being and can even diminish pain temporarily.
It protects you against the damaging effects of stress.
It draws people together which stimulates your emotional and mental health.
It protects your heart from diseases by improving the efficiency of blood vessels. Laughter Yoga helps in increasing blood flow which in turn protects you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.
According to a study laughing on an average of 15 minutes a day can can burn about 40 calories. So yeah you can burn calories through Laughter Yoga.
Diffuse your bitterness or resentment with the laughing. Look at the different perspective and imagine it in a funny way.
According to a study in Norway, people with a strong sense of humor outlive those who don’t laugh as much. So laugh and live longer.

So laugh your heart out!