The Benefits of Laughter Yoga

By Faye Martins

Is Laughter Yoga a new form of holistic medicine or just another trend? Started in a park in Mumbai, India, in 1995, the practice has quickly spread to the rest of the world. Scientific research says positive attitudes affect our mind, body, and spirit – a truth embraced by Yogis thousands of years ago – and Laughter Yoga does just that.

Laughter as Medicine

After Norman Cousins, former editor of the “Saturday Review,” developed an immune disorder in the 1970s, he decided to try an unorthodox approach to self-treatment. With his doctor’s approval, Cousins checked into a comfortable hotel and watched a steady stream of funny movies. Eventually, his disease went into remission, and he told his story in “New England Journal of Medicine.” His bestselling book, “Anatomy of an Illness: A Patient’s Perspective,” followed in 1979, leading to a new field of research – the healing power of humor.

Scientific Studies of Laughter and Medicine

·     Dr. Lee Berk did studies in the 1980s showing that laughter leads to higher levels of two beneficial hormones: HGH, a human growth hormone that boosts immunity; and beta-endorphins, the kind of hormones that create feelings of well-being.

·     Additional studies show that laughter lowers levels of three stress hormones – cortisol, adrenaline, and dopac - known to lower immunity and produce toxins in the body.

·     In 2009, Dr. Berk, now a preventive care specialist at Loma Linda University in California, presented results of a more recent study showing that “mirthful laughter” reduces inflammation and lowers stress in diabetics. He theorizes that laughter can be a powerful addition to traditional therapies.

Benefits of Laughter Yoga

The website of Laughter Yoga International says that “Unconditional Laughter with Yogic Breathing” provides the same health benefits as spontaneous outbursts of laughter. In other words, the body can’t tell the difference between fake laughter and real laughter. Participants usually burst into authentic “mirth” when involved in the playful practice, anyway.

Recent anecdotal evidence from India claims schools have used Laughter Yoga to improve academic performance, reduce discipline problems, and encourage attendance. In the United States, Ithaca College in New York and the University of Minnesota led the way to change by offering Laughter Yoga to their students. The practice continues to spread throughout the states.

Preliminary research from India, the U.S., and Austria confirms that Laughter Yoga reduces the level of stress hormones in the bloodstream.  Now recognized as a beneficial practice among corporations, students, disabled people, senior citizens, and those suffering from chronic illnesses, Laughter Yoga could be here to stay.

© Copyright 2013 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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