Effect of Laughter Yoga on General Health

Laughter yoga is a unique style of yoga that involves laughing voluntarily. This new twist to the ancient practice of yoga is probably the only exercise routine that will leave you happier and healthier. It is an excellent cardio workout and what starts as a forced laughter becomes a real one and more contagious than a common cold. It combines yogic breathing and laughter exercise to make you healthy. Laughter is actually the best medicine and here is the proof. Check out the health benefits of laughter yoga. The playful exercise and the yogic breathing can lower the blood pressure. It also lowers the level of cortisol, the stress hormone, in your blood.

Benefits of laughter yoga: Laughter is the best medicine

Laughter yoga is a unique style of yoga that involves laughing voluntarily. This new twist to the ancient practice of yoga is probably the only exercise routine that will leave you happier and healthier. It is an excellent cardio workout and what starts as a forced laughter becomes a real one and more contagious than a common cold. It combines yogic breathing and laughter exercise to make you healthy. Laughter is actually the best medicine and here is the proof. Check out the health benefits of laughter yoga. Laughter is a natural medicine that can improve your mood, strengthen your immune system and even combat stress. From the stress of finals to anxiety from work, we all could use a little more laughter in our lives.

Stress can creep up on us in different ways. Students pursuing graduate degrees in health sciences especially have to deal with a lot of stress balancing rigorous classes, work and their personal lives. While stress is a normal part of life, we want to mitigate it where we can so that we keep a healthy mindset.

Scientifically Proven Ways Laughter Can Relieve Stress
The health benefits of laughter cited by researchers are plenty. From boosting your immune system to increasing endorphins to your brain, below are scientifically proven ways a giggle can help you combat stress and increase your physical and mental health.

Physical health benefits

Stimulates your organs: When you laugh, you take in more oxygen-rich air. This stimulates your lungs, heart and muscles.

Lowers blood pressure: The playful exercise and the yogic breathing can lower the blood pressure. It also lowers the level of cortisol, the stress hormone, in your blood.

Relaxes your muscles: When you get stressed, your body tenses up and can cause you to feel stuck. A good laugh can relieve physical tension in the body and relax the muscles for up to 45 minutes.

Improves cardiac health: Laughing increases your heart rate and the amount of oxygen in your blood. This can improve vascular function and decrease the risk of heart attacks.

Boosts immune system: When you’re stressed, negative thoughts can turn into chemical reactions that decrease your immunity to sickness. When you laugh, you adopt a positive mindset that can release infection-fighting antibodies and neuropeptides that help fight stress. Having belly laughter will increase the flow of the lymphatic fluid and increase the number of lymphocytes, which the killer cells of our body that fights infection. So, once the number of lymphocytes increases, your immunity increases. According to research conducted by the National Cancer Centre in California and Linda Loma Medical Centre, Indiana State University, your immune system improves up to 40% with laughter

Improves your respiratory system: Your lungs get revitalised with more oxygen rushing into your lungs while you laugh

Improves pain tolerance: According to a study conducted to see the level of pain tolerance and how it is linked to laughter. It was proved that those who were laughing had more pain tolerance.

Lowers blood pressure: Laughter releases endorphins that counteract the negative effects of stress hormones—lowering your blood pressure as a result.

Helps with weight loss: A common side effect of chronic stress is weight gain. Laughing not only reduces the stress hormones that cause weight gain, but it also burns calories.

Helps to improve glow in skin and face: when you start laugh regularly it makes your skin clear and improve glowing.

Mental health benefits

Provides distraction: When you laugh, you aren’t thinking about that assignment that is overdue or the big final you have coming up next week. Laughter provides your brain with a break from the worrying thoughts that cause stress.
Improves your concentration: Your brain will function better with all the oxygen you are inhaling while laughing. Your brain will be more focused and active.

Improves your mood: Nothing squashes a bad mood quite like a good laugh. Laughing produces a general sense of well-being and can diffuse the anger and depression you were once feeling.

Laugh makes you happy: Who doesn t feel good after a hearty laugh? Although laughter yoga starts with a voluntary laugh, it soon turns into real one. This is such a contagious exercise routine. Laughing triggers the release of endorphin, the happy hormone. It is also the natural pain killer. So laugh more if you want to get rid of the pain in your body.

Reduces stress hormones: Cortisol is our primary stress hormone that circulates throughout the body when you’re feeling stressed. Laughter can decrease cortisol levels by increasing your intake of oxygen and stimulating circulation throughout the body. Stress can creep up on us in different ways. Students pursuing graduate degrees in health sciences especially have to deal with a lot of stress balancing rigorous classes, work and their personal lives. While stress is a normal part of life, we want to mitigate it where we can so that we keep a healthy mindset

Increases endorphins: Endorphins are those “feel-good” chemicals produced by your brain that help boost happiness levels. Laughing increases the number of endorphins released in your body, fighting off stress and promoting a positive mood.

Strengthens relationships: A shared laugh with friends, family or a coworker can help you feel more connected to that person and form a strong and lasting bond. Humor is also a powerful way to heal past disagreements or resentments.

What & Why should Add More Laughter to Your Life

With all the seriousness that school and work bring, we tend to forget how important it is to make time for laughter. From hosting a game night to trying out a new hobby like laughter yoga, below are ten ways to promote laughter in your life.

Follow a funny meme account: There’s a reason funny memes go viral. They make people laugh! Follow some funny meme accounts to put a smile on your face every time you hop on social media.

Create a Pinterest board: Start a Pinterest board full of things that make you laugh, like quotes or hilarious pictures. Next time you find something on the internet that makes you smile, pin it to your board so you can look at it next time you’re feeling stressed.

Spend time with pets: Pets, such as dogs and cats, are a source of laughter and joy for many people. If you don’t have a pet, consider asking a friend to pet-sit theirs or volunteer at an animal shelter in your free time.
Listen to a funny podcast: On your way to work or school, listen to a funny podcast to start your day off with a laugh.

Try laughter yoga: Laughter yoga is a new take on yoga that encourages prolonged voluntary laughter. Try out a class by yourself or take it with a friend next time you’re feeling stressed.

Laugh at yourself: Learning to laugh at yourself is one of the best ways you can add more laughter into your life. Next time you do something that would otherwise upset you, try to find the positive in the situation.

Alter your environment: Your environment can play a huge part in your mood. Reshape your work or study area to include things that make you smile, like a picture with friends from a funny night out, or a photo of your dog in a hilarious costume.

Spend time with friends, family and relatives: We tend to be influenced by the people we hang around. Make an effort to hang out more with the funniest friend in your circle. Ask them to get coffee or lunch and talk about the silly things that happened in your day. And some times you can meet childhood friends and spend some time with them with some childhood funny memories. Make gate together and spent time out of your hectic schedule with family and discuss about your childhood funny memories and enjoy and laugh with family together.

Why Laughter Is the Best Medicine

Laughter has an effect similar to antidepressants. Laughing activates the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin, the same brain chemical affected by the most common types of antidepressants, SSRIs. It’s not clear from the research how long this effect sticks around, but the burst of brain activity laughing triggers is undoubtedly potent, at least for short periods of time.

PRECAUTIONS:
Death from laughter can also occur if laughing too hard leads to asphyxiation or suffocation. Laughing too hard may prevent adequate breathing or cause a person to stop breathing, depriving their body of oxygen. This type of death is likely with a nitrous oxide overdose.

SOME OTHER RISKS WERE:

• Protrusion of abdominal hernias — side-splitting laughter or laughing fit to burst.
• A quick intake of breath during laughing can cause foreign bodies to be inhaled.
• Trigger for asthma attacks.
• Incontinence.
• Headaches.