I learned of this from Indrani on her blog, I Share
Isn't this a wonderful idea? Here are just a few of the benefits from an article by
Elvie Punzalan-Estavillo
Laughter yoga: No laughing matter
Message sent: Participants do the mobile laughter.
MANILA, Philippines – A Laughter Yoga session was held recently at the Golds’ Gym in Glorietta 3, Makati City. About 50 persons attended the event to quench their curiosity as to what it was all about. Among them were Medicard EVP Luis Montoya, his wife, and staff members; Dr. Winnie Pernia and two colleagues from the Philippine Society of Pathologists.
At the start, some participants worried they may not be able to laugh, so I told them to just open their minds, drop their inhibitions, relax, and be ready to laugh, as there are warm-up exercises to make them laugh like they had never laughed before.
Unlike watching a comic movie or reading a funny story where the mind still has to process what it is watching or reading before a person can laugh (or sometimes the person is simply not in the mood to laugh), in laughter yoga, laughter serves as a body exercise that can therefore be done regardless of the person’s mood. In fact, it sets the person the right, positive, happy mood. A person need not be happy to be able to laugh — for basically, laughter yoga is to laugh for no reason at all.
A person can, with regular practice, train the body and mind to laugh at will and make laughter second nature.
In this hi-tech, fast-paced, dizzying world, most people are so busy that they almost have no time to exercise. Stanford University’s Dr. William Fry has proven that 10 minutes of laughing heartily is equivalent to 30 minutes of cardio-pulmonary endurance workout on a rowing machine.
Laughter yoga is a unique well-being workout that combines fun and easy-to-do aerobic exercise with physiological and emotional benefits and stress reduction such as:
• No postures, no skills to learn, or special clothes or equipment required.
• Provides a fast, powerful, no-sweat cardiovascular workout
• Reduces stress level quickly by as much as 75 percent or more.
• Blood pressure and pulse rate drop as blood circulation improves.
• The lungs are well exercised and cleansed of stale residual air.
• Healthier deep breathing is learned and adopted.
• The blood and major organs get fully oxygenated, leaving one bursting with energy.
• Hearty laughter improves mood within minutes by releasing endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers, and mood enhancer.
• Lifts depression — even chronic depression may be cured.
• Boosts self-confidence, creativity, and improves a person’s communication skills.
Made fully aware of the multi-dimensional healthful benefits that laughter yoga brings about, the highly motivated and challenged participants gave their all. Everyone gamely and actively participated.
