What is laughter yoga? Benefits and exercise to practice

Benefits Of Laughter Yoga Breathing Exercise


Laughter Yoga is a practice that simulates deliberate laughter through a series of body movements and breathing exercises. However in this yoga initially the laughter is simulated after some practice it turns into real laughter.


The very basic idea of laughter yoga is to laugh without any stimulation, however the mind must not interpret the laugh as a fake one. Laughter yoga mainly deals with stress, anxiety and depression caused in the fast paced materialistic world.


To begin deliberate laugh the most common techniques used in laughter yoga are certain warm up exercise like stretching, clapping, eye contact greeting and chanting. These exercises are designed to reduce the level of inhibition. Then follow the breathing technique to prepare the lungs for laughter, and finally perform different laughter exercises.


How it's started?


Though laughing therapy has been used for years, laughter yoga first began as a club by a family physician Dr. Madan Kataria in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India in 1995.


Dr. Madan Kataria mentioned in his book "Laughter Yoga: Daily Laughter Practice for Health and Happiness" that he was deeply inspired by the book "Disease Anatomy" by American journalist Norman Cousin . The book mentions that the cousins ​​rejected traditional painkillers. Watch funny movies and treat ankylosing spondylitis with laughter.

Benefits of laughter yoga 

Very few other mind body techniques are known to generate benefits as compared to laughter yoga. Laughter Yoga can benefit anxiety reduction, stress, heart rate variables, mood and general overall health.


1.Psychological Benefits


When you laugh some hormones are released like epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, cortisol, serotonin, and HGH. The combination of these hormones leads to stress and the different physical activities produced by stress. The psycological benefits of laughter yoga also include depression, panic attacks, and anxiety disorders.  


2.Physical Fitness Benefits


Laughter yoga helps you to be fit physically as well. It improves blood circulation and oxygenation. Many other benefits are also been noticed such as:


Cardiovascular improvements including control blood pressure

High respiratory performance

Improves the functions of the autonomic nervous system 

Stimulates the digestive organs

Boosts immunity

Aids in treating conditions like bronchitis, diabetes, asthma and other chronic ailments


3.Personality Development 


Laughter Yoga can improve intellectual balance, emotional stability and cognitive skills. These personal developments can help you develop a strong and influential personality. Improve your confidence, communication skills, ability to express yourself and social interaction skills. With a stress-free mind, you can also conduct self-analysis and reflection reasonably. This can ultimately produce spiritual benefits, such as self-actualization.


Does it really work?


Many studies shows that laughter yoga improves sign of physical and sleep disorders, reduced anxiety & depression level and improved the social functions.


Laughter Yoga can increase the oxygen supply of body tissues, strengthen immunity, relieve pain, and prevent heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, migraine and potential cancer.


What makes laughter yoga important?


Laughter yoga has a lot of impact to a neurological and biochemical level. Following are the few regions that makes laughter yoga a worthwhile consideration:


Stressful work life and interpersonal relationships. 

Stress and anxiety often lead to depression. 

There is a need to alleviate a society plagued by fierce conflict. 

Medical expenses are beyond the affordability of the middle class. 

As our statistics grow, our laugh frequency will decrease. 

20 times 5 When real laughter is hindered by our intelligence, laughter yoga is the only choice. 

It is as beneficial to your physiology as natural laughter. 

Laughter Yoga can improve your lung function. 

When our intelligence hinders real laughter, laughter yoga is the only choice. 


Laughter yoga practice & exercises


Following are the most famous laughing exercises:


Namaste laughs-laughs when your hands join Namaste

Handshake laughs-shakes hands with your partner and laughs 

Milkshake laughs-pretends to hold a drink in each hand. Then he pretended to pour one cup into another, and then he pretended to drink. 

Cell phone laugh-pretend to be holding a cell phone and laugh. 

Laughing on Credit Card Bills-Laughing when you pretend to show your credit card bill. A way of saying, "I don’t know why I laugh." Arguing laughter: Do physical movements with group members, such as pointing and waving, but at the same time laugh at the lion’s smile: open your mouth and stick out your tongue, as if Same as in simhasana, and then laughed. 

Silent laugh: Open your mouth wide, but laugh silently. 

Progressive laughter: The laughter begins with a light laugh, and then gradually increases until it becomes a hearty laugh. 

Mi laughed. -He smiled and measured the meter with both hands. 

Hot soup laugh-stick out your tongue and pretend to cool your mouth by waving your hand, like an electric shock laugh after eating hot soup-draw a group member closer to shake hands. 

Received an electric shock while pretending to touch, and then laughed in surprise.