16 Reasons Why Laughter is Good for You

Laughing is not only fun, but has a vital impact on your overall health, providing additional zest for life and boosting life energy. Based on ancient yoga knowledge and modern laughter research, Laughter Yoga is a mixture of laughter exercises and deep yoga breathing.

Origin and source

In 1964, science writer Norman Cousin described the therapeutic effects of laughter. His laughter therapy enabled him to ease his pain and overcome his illness (spondylarthritis). “A smile that you send out, will come back to you.” – Indian saying 

In the 60s, laughter research or “gelotology” (from the Greek word Gelos = laughter) was substantiated and various studies were carried out regarding the therapeutic effects of laughter.

In 1995, the Indian orthodox medical practitioner Dr. Madan Kataria and his wife Madhuri, a yoga instructor, founded the actual practice of Laughter Yoga. They combined yoga breathing exercises with intentional, unprovoked laughing. Today, Laughter Yoga can be found in more than 6000 laughter clubs and in approx. 65 countries.

16 Reasons why Laughter is Healthy

• Laughter stimulates digestion and metabolism.
• Laughter eases respiratory diseases.
• Regular laughter strengthens the immune system.
• Laughter reduces blood pressure.
• Laughter Yoga causes pulse frequency and blood pressure to drop, resulting in a lower stress rate and improved fitness.
• In the long-term it increases motivation, optimism, adaptability and self-confidence.
• Laughter generates empathy.
• A laughing face appears more attractive than a serious one.
• Laughter is infectious.
• People who laugh frequently are less prone to heart attack or depression.
• Laughter reduces tension and inhibitions.
• Laughter increases the exchange of oxygen in the brain, thus improving the ability to concentrate.
• It reduces stress hormones by reducing the secretion of cortisol and adrenalin.
• Laughter relaxes you and enhances your feeling of well being.
• When laughing, the body produces endorphins, the feel-good hormones. These have anti-inflammatory and painkilling effects.
• Laughter brings you closer to others. Laughter connects.

Taking a Laughter Yoga Class

When attending a Laughter Yoga class you do various mimed laughter and yoga-breathing exercises in a group. You may and should laugh artificially, as according to scientific findings, the body cannot distinguish between fake and real laughter. As everyone knows – laughter is the best medicine. 

You will benefit from the numerous physical and spiritual effects the laughter has on your system and often, the feigned laughter turns out to provoke quite real infectious laughter.