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LAUGHTER YOGA
is an aerobic exercise program which incorporates the benefits of laughter with yogic breathing, movement and playfulness.
It does not rely on comedy, humour or jokes but it does enable you to laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh
and laugh even if you don't feel like it.
Developed by Indian physician Dr Madan Kataria
and his wife and yoga teacher, Madhuri Kataria,
Laughter Yoga helps to manage stress, boost
mood and strengthen the immune system.
It improves respiratory function, oxygen intake, emotional resilience, social connection, fun and happiness.
LAUGHTER CLUBS
are community-based, not-for-profit, non-religious, non-political social clubs that promote good health, joy and world peace through laughter.
Developed purely as a social movement they are held in public spaces and run by volunteers.
Participation is FREE of charge; donations are accepted to support Laughter Clubs and local charities.
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WORKPLACE LAUGHTER
The corporate world can truly benefit from laughter.
It is the quickest, most effective,
most economical way to help employees:
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reduce stress
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prevent burnout
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smooth workplace relations
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balance emotional lives
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enhance creativity and problem solving
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boost brain power with oxygen
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improve mood
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enhance performance
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build team spirit
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move away from the desk
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communicate and engage with others
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create a positive environment
Book a session for your next :
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Team Building Day
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Professional Development Day
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Workplace Wellness Activity
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Social Club Activity
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MAJOR BENEFITS of LAUGHTER
1. MANAGE STRESS
When we experience excessive stress levels, our immune system shuts down, our blood flow changes due to muscle tension, blood pressure rises, our breathing becomes shorter and more shallow, we become anxious, cortisol levels increase, and inflammation flares in the body resulting in pain. When we laugh, serotonin is released which helps counteract cortisol.
Laughter Yoga helps us learn to laugh unconditionally, even when times are tough. It provides a coping mechanism to build a positive mindset.
2. MOOD BOOST
Within minutes, Laughter Yoga can change your brain chemistry by stimulating the release of endorphins.
Endorphins are hormones (chemical messengers) produced by your brain cells (pituitary gland and hypothalamus) and sent throughout the body to help relieve pain, reduce stress and improve mood. They are released during pleasurable activities and are natural pain relievers. They are “feel-good” chemicals because they can make you feel better and put you in a positive state of mind.
Laughter Yoga can make you feel better even if you are not in a good mood and not feeling happy.
3. PHYSICAL HEALTH
Laughter Yoga strengthens the immune system. The muscular contraction of laughter, especially the movement of the diaphragm (a muscle that helps you breathe. It sits under your lungs and separates your chest cavity from your abdomen), promotes the movement of lymph into the blood stream thus detoxing the body and stimulating the activity of lymphocytes and killer T cells that attack disease.
4. SOCIAL CONNECTOR
When we laugh together, we connect. Laughter Yoga helps to develop caring and sharing attitudes with others. Laughter clubs build community and belonging to combat social isolation.
Laughter Yoga is the only technique that allows adults to achieve sustained hearty laughter without involving cognitive thought. It bypasses the intellectual systems that normally act as a brake on natural laughter. We drop our masks and inhibitions.
5. INCREASED OXYGEN
Every cell and organ in our body needs oxygen, especially the brain which requires 25% more oxygen that any other organ or tissue, even muscles. The best way to get more air and oxygen into your lungs, is to exhale first. The body's normal response is to then inhale deeper with the next breath.
Laughter is an extreme exhalation process. It simultaneously engages the abdominal muscles, diaphragm and intercostal muscles (between the ribs) with very little effort. Thus, laughter brings in more oxygen into the lungs to feed and energize the body.
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It does not rely on comedy, humour or jokes. Humour is the brain’s capacity to perceive, relate and experience a situation and judge if the situation is funny or not; it is conditional, dependent upon cognitive ability, experiences, situation, family, culture, layers of inhibition and social programming. Anyone can laugh unconditionally and for no reason without relying on comedy, humour or jokes.
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It combines laughter exercises with yoga breathing. This brings more oxygen to the body and the brain which makes one feel more energetic and healthy.
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Scientific fact: the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter if done with willingness. One gets the same health benefits, whether laughter is real or simulated.
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Done in a group with eye contact and childlike playfulness, initiated laughter soon turns into real and contagious hearty laughter and social activity.
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On the 13th of March 1995, Dr. Madan Kataria persuaded four people to join him in starting the first “Laughter Club”. With just five people in public park in Mumba, India they laughed together to the amusement of bystanders; their small group quickly grew to 50 participants. Now, there are thousands of Laughter Clubs in more than 110 countries.
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THE DIAPHRAGM and BREATHING MUSCLES
When you breathe in, your diaphragm contracts (tightens) and flattens, moving down towards your abdomen. This movement creates a vacuum in your chest, allowing your chest to expand (get bigger) and pull in air.
When you breathe out, your diaphragm relaxes and curves back up allowing the lungs to push the air out.
Also, when you breath in and out, the muscles between the ribs (intercostal muscles) work together to expand and /or shrink the ribcage, thus pushing the air in and out.
Shallow breathing (also known as costal breathing), only uses the rib (intercostal) muscles.
Deep breathing (also known as diaphragmatic breathing, abdominal breathing, or belly breathing) uses the intercostal muscles and the diaphragm. This type of breathing also engages your abdominal muscles, where you can see and feel the belly rising and falling, and often takes a concentrated effort to learn and practice this breathing technique.
LAUGHTER is the quickest and easiest way to engage all of these deep breathing muscles without having to think about it!
The last key point about the diaphragm muscle is that the esophagus (food tube), aorta (the big artery from your heart) vena cava (the big vein to your heart), several nerves and ducts all pass through the diaphragm. They are affected by its movement, so by keeping your diaphragm healthy with laughter helps the whole body.
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