Scientifically Proven Benefits
The concept of Laughter Yoga is based on a scientific fact that the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter. One gets the same physiological and psychological benefits either way.
Clinical research conducted at Bangalore, India and in the United States has proved that laughter lowers the levels of stress hormones (epinephrine, cortisol, etc.) in the blood.
Laughter is a positive energy that improves our quality of life when practised regularly. It helps to create a positive mental state, giving hope, optimism and resilience.
Some benefits of Laughter Yoga
- Good Mood (personal): Laughter Yoga helps to lift your mood within minutes by releasing chemicals from your brain cells called endorphins (feel good hormones). You will remain cheerful and in a good mood throughout the day and will laugh more than you would normally do.
- Health: Laughter Yoga reduces stress and strengthens your immune system, helping you resist disease. It also increases your pain threshold.
- Healthy Exercise (business): Laughter Yoga is like an aerobic exercise (cardio workout) which brings more oxygen to your body and brain, making you feel more focused, alert, motivated, creative and productive.
- Quality of Life (social and business): laughter is a positive energy. Laughter Yoga connects you with people quickly, creating caring, sharing relationships. If you laugh more, you will attract many friends. Great for team bonding too.
- Positive Attitude in Challenging Times: everyone can laugh when life is good, but how does one laugh when faced with challenges? Laughter Yoga helps you cope with life’s ups and down. It creates a positive mental state and helps us all be more resilient during times of adversity. It gives hope and optimism.
Science when we laugh:
Laughing –
- Releases endorphins (happy hormones).
- Acts as a pain relief (see Norman Collins’ story).
- Dopamine increases (against Parkinson’s). Good for movement, to lift the mood and give motivation.
- Increased serotonin (happy chemicals, mood lift, satisfaction, relaxation and pleasure).
- Increased oxytocin (helps us connect to others and bond).