Laughter yoga is a popular movement and a breathing exercise that aims to cultivate joy, brings out your inner child and helps you let go of the stress of everyday life.
Considering that the laughter is contagious, it is not surprising that the laughing yoga grew by a small group in Mumbai, in India to over 5,000 clubs worldwide. Although supporters claim that it relieves stress and reduces the risk of chronic diseases, you may ask if it really works.
This article tells you everything you need to know about laughing yoga.
What it is?
“Laughing yoga, also known as the yoga of laughter, involves a series of movements and breathing exercises to promote deliberated laughter.”
It is used as a remedy for physical, psychological and spiritual disorders, since supporters believe that intentional laughter (simulated) can offer benefits equal to those of spontaneous laughter (for example, laughing at a joke).
Although the charming therapy was used for decades, laughing yoga was discovered by Dr. Madan Kataria, a family doctor in Mumbai, India, in 1995.
Dr. Kataria says that laughing yoga will help lift your mood, reduce stress, strengthen the immune system, increase energy levels, improve the quality of life and will help you better manage the difficulties.
He believes that learning to laugh at the time of the cue can help you manage stressful situations by promoting optimism and positivity. Since you cannot always rely on external influences to make you laugh, learning to laugh alone can be a precious tool.
Together with this, it is believed that the yoga of laughter helps you better manage stress through controlled breathing. This allows greater absorption of oxygen, which activates the parasimpatic nervous system, the natural relaxation system of your body.
As adults commit themselves with life, the activities that promote laughter can go to the side. Consequently, laughing yoga has been designed to teach people how to laugh at the indication rather than relying on people or things to bring them joy.
Laughing yoga is accessible in over 110 countries and becomes more and more popular online. In addition, the coaches to laugh are bringing yoga seminars to laugh directly to people in places such as university campuses, workplaces and structures for senior life.
How to do it?
Yoga laughs is usually practiced in a group environment, such as a club or seminar, and led by a trained yoga instructor who trains participants through various exercises to promote fun and laughter.
Most of the sessions start with simple breathing techniques, applause and songs to help people relax. For example, you could start the class by rhythmically beating 1-2, 1-2-3 while singing “Ho-h, ha-ha-ha”.
Even if at the beginning it may seem silly, the intention of this exercise is to remove any internal judgment that you may have and leave your ego to the door.
The session can also include improvisation exercises, quotation of positive statements, delicate extension, yoga and meditation breath. Collectively, these practices are intended to help you laugh, let you go and take you less seriously.
Does it Works?
You have probably noticed that laughing can offer immediate benefits, like improved mood. However, more attention is paid to the long -term benefits of regular and daily laughter.
First of all, laughing releases endorphins and “happy” hormones such as dopamine and serotonin.
In addition, suppress stress hormones such as cortisol. These effects are linked to a better mood, reduced pain, lesser blood pressure, the strongest immune system and the lowest levels of stress and depression rates.
In addition, laughing with other people can increase the connection and social bond, as well as strengthening relationships. It is also linked to feelings of security and safety, allowing a person to feel more relaxed.
Many researchers believe that the body cannot distinguish between false (simulated) or real (spontaneous) laughter, which means that you can benefit simply by forcing you to laugh.
“A revision of 2019 found simulated laughter has lowered depression rates and improved mood. The authors said that laughter exercises require little knowledge and are not based on subjective humor, which means that most people can easily participate.”
Other studies have shown that laughing yoga can help temporarily reduce cortisol levels and stress, improve mood and energy levels and induce a more positive mentality. In fact, it can be as effective as aerobic exercise to reduce self-senified stress.
However, some experts argue that small samples of size, subjectivity and lack of congruence between studies make it difficult to know how really beneficial yoga is raised for physical and mental health. Therefore, more large -scale searches are needed.
Furthermore, while laughing yoga can help support better mental and physical health, it should not replace the current treatments provided by your healthcare professional. Rather, it can be used together.
However, committing to laughing yoga has practically no negative aspect and can be practiced by people of every social class.
The bottom line:
Laughing yoga is growing in popularity as a fun way to laugh and take you less seriously.
A typical class involves various movements, improvisations and breathing techniques to remove your mind from the daily stress factors of life and be more present. Collectively, these practices can help reduce stress levels through deliberate and real laughs.
While further searches are needed to clarify its benefits, there are almost no disadvantages and most people can easily participate.
All in all, laughing yoga is a great way to get rid, have fun and learn the joy of laughing again.