It’s GOOD for everyone!
And much more than you think!
Just how good laughter is for us
It’s well known that the virtues of laughter are very real! Numerous studies have examined the subject, and the list of benefits is long.
- First of all, laughter brings a feeling of well-being, thanks to the hormone called endorphin which is released in the body. This magical hormone is euphoric and temporarily relieves pain, stress and anxiety.
- By allowing you to inhale more oxygen, laughter makes you feel better right away. Air is expelled at 120 km/h, which thoroughly cleanses the mucous membranes of the lungs.
- Laughing relaxes muscles, relieving headaches and physical pain.
- Laughter could also prevent cardiovascular disease.
- Since serotonin levels increase after laughing, it’s also an effective remedy for depression. The anti-depression virtues of Laughter Yoga seem to be self-evident!
- Difficult emotions such as anger, fear and guilt are released through laughter.
- Laughter has been compared to internal aerobics! Heartbeats speed up and, as blood vessels dilate, blood pressure usually drops after a few minutes of laughter – which is very effective for people with high blood pressure.
- The movements of the hopping diaphragm have the effect of stimulating all the nearby organs: liver, stomach, spleen, pancreas and intestines. The surrounding muscles relax: abdomen, chest, neck, face and even arms. Laughing helps digestion.
- These movements of the diaphragm also stimulate the lymphatic system
- A good laugh is just as good as a relaxing session!
And let’s not forget the social functions of laughter, which makes it easier to relate to others and integrate into a group. Laughter helps us to feel confident and express ourselves, and contributes to emotional balance.
Laughing is highly addictive! The more we laugh, the more we want to laugh! Intentional laughter leads to more humor, and humor leads to more laughter!
In March 1995, Dr Madan Kataria, a general practitioner from Mumbai, India, was preparing an article entitled “Laughter – the best medicine” for a magazine he was publishing in his community. His research led him to discover a breathtaking array of scientific publications demonstrating the benefits of laughter on the human body and mind. He was particularly interested in American journalist Norman Cousins’ book “Anatomy of an Illness”, in which Cousins recounts his recovery from ankylosing spondylitis through laughter. A number of research studies caught his attention, including those undertaken by Dr. Lee S. Berk, who mentions that laughter reduces stress levels in the body and impacts the immune system.
Knowing is good, but doing is better. Dr. Kataria decided on the spot to experiment and benefit himself from this apparently powerful activity, and recruited a few people in a public garden where the first laughter club was created.
With the help of his wife, yoga teacher Madhuri, Dr. Kataria created techniques that combined deep breathing, stretching and fun exercises to stimulate laughter. Laughter yoga was born!
Laughter Yoga has grown rapidly worldwide, with hundreds of thousands of practitioners.
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people infected with the laughter virus by the School of Laughter Yoga to date!