Laugh more, stress less

I’ve always been intimidated by yoga classes. I’m insecure about my inflexibility, which seems to stand out amid a sea of lithe, Gumby-like creatures. And yes, I know I’m supposed to focus inward and stay within my space, but it’s hard not to compare my body when there’s so many sculpted Adonises surrounding me. 

It’s also all the different styles of yoga that overwhelm and confuse me. In the past, friends would urge me to try various yoga practices and I would dutifully comply, only to experience that uncomfortable, self-conscious feeling again and again. I finally left yoga to the yogis.

Recently, however, I caught wind of something called Laughter Yoga – yes, you read that right – and my interest was piqued. 

Laughter Yoga was created back in the 90s by Dr. Madan Kataria, a medical doctor from India. Dr. Kataria was doing research on laughter therapy and its influence on body, mind and emotions. He found that when you combine deep yogic breathing with laughter, there is an increased flow of oxygen to the brain and body. Happy endorphins are released, resulting in an elevated mood.

Randee Young, a certified Laughter Yoga teacher in Duvall, Washington, was first attracted to the movement after watching a Laughter Yoga specialist in action at an event she planned for residents of a retirement community. Young says, “I remember saying to the instructor before she started the session, ‘You do realize this is a group of seniors…. they are never going to do that.” She adds, “The woman assured me she could get them to giggle, and sure enough, she did!” The residents responded so well that the specialist told Young that she could get trained to do this, too, and that’s all it took to motivate Young to move forward with certification. 

The Washington State woman explains that Laughter Yoga is for everybody, young and old. And that there are programs throughout the country and around the world. It’s rapidly growing, especially now during a global pandemic when people are really focused on self-care, and need and want to engage in a stress alleviation activity. “Participants have told me they want to get their smile or laughter back,” says Young. “Others want some relief from grief, and many are just curious about it.”

Laughter Yoga has many benefits. According to Young, laughter gives you that “feel good factor,” creating positive energy and a positive mental state, which is useful in dealing with negative situations and negative people. And as we know, hope and optimism are necessary tools for when the going gets tough.

It also works as aerobic exercise, like “internal jogging,” and tones muscles while improving circulation. Additionally, Young notes that this type of yoga, with its focus on deep breathing, aids in removing the residual air that hangs out in the lungs when we only take short, shallow breaths. Poor breathing can impact the body in negative ways, contributing to inflammation, immune dysfunction, headaches, depression and more. Deep breathing, on the other hand, has a calming effect and can decrease symptoms of pain, despair and anxiety. 

The secret to good breathing, per Young, is to breathe out twice as long as you breathe in, and to do this often. She advocates synchronized breathing, where you regulate your breath by counting.

“I think most people don’t really know what to expect from a Laughter Yoga class,” says Young. “but after experiencing one, they seem to be drawn to the after-glow. They are attracted to the release of tension, the distraction from daily life, the invitation to be silly and lower inhibitions, and the opportunity to relax.”

Like me, you’re probably wondering what exactly happens during a Laughter Yoga class. Though every leader or teacher has his/her own style, the basics include a combination of breathing exercises along with laughter exercises, eye contact and playfulness to increase the amount of oxygen to your brain and body. Young notes that it has been scientifically proven that the brain doesn’t know the difference between real laughter and exercised laughter, so it will still release the endorphins even if you’re faking it. 

Young has participants warm up by helping them find their he-hes, ha-has and ho-hos. Then she does laughter exercises like “Lion Laughter,” “Argument Laughter” or “Stress Laughter” to elicit laughter. The sounds should come from the diaphragm and be loud and deep – belly style. Though the laughter begins in an exercised fashion, it soon turns into the real thing.

With Lion Laughter, Young explains that you place your hands on the side of your face, stick out your tongue and laugh. She says this activity makes most people feel silly, but it’s a good ice breaker to loosen inhibitions. In Argument Laughter, participants curl their index finger and argue in laughter while making eye contact with each other. Instead of getting upset when, for example, a driver cuts you off or you’re stuck in traffic, you give the argument a light hearted spin through laughter. 

With Stress Laughter, participants cup their hands in front of their hearts and are requested to put their worries, pain, or negative thoughts in the cup. Then together as a class, they throw the cup over their shoulders and laugh it away. “I emphasize that laughter won’t make those issues go away,” says Young, “but it can help us gain a positive state of mind in times of adversity.”

Every class ends with a guided relaxation meditation, leaving participants feeling revitalized and restored.

In addition to teaching Laughter Yoga at retirement communities, Young has done sessions at wellness studios, the YMCA, libraries, hospitals, corporations and for various nonprofit organizations. Though many of her in-person classes have been on pause during the pandemic, she has been doing Zoom sessions in an effort to continue to share this important outlet with others. 

Young consistently receives great feedback from her sessions and is almost always asked to return to provide more Laughter Yoga opportunities. Participants tell her how much fun they had with the various exercises and how good it made them feel to laugh the time away. One woman wrote of her experience, “This should be required for all living people!” 

 

Photos Courtesy of Randee Young