Have you heard of Laughter Yoga? It’s when you chuckle, stretch, and eye-roll at the same time. This simple combination of exercise and laughter has physical and mental benefits. The mind and the body get the same benefits from a fake smile as from a real one, so a few minutes a day can completely change your daily mood.
The movement was founded in 1995 by Dr. Madan Kataria, aka the “Guru of Giggling.” While researching the benefits of laughter, he was surprised by the number of studies showing serious results. What started with just five people has now grown into a global collection of over 6,000 Laughter Yoga clubs in over 60 countries.
23 Benefits Of Laughing In The Morning
1. Improves Cardiac Health
Laughter is an excellent cardio workout, especially for those who cannot engage in other physical activities due to injury or illness. It gets your heart pumping and burns as many calories an hour as walking at a slow or moderate pace. So laugh your heart out.
2. Reduces Stress Hormone Levels
By reducing stress hormone levels, you simultaneously reduce the anxiety and stress that affects your body. In addition, reducing stress hormones can improve immune function. Just think: laughing with a co-worker while telling a funny joke can relieve the stress of the day and help you reap the health benefits of laughter.
3. Triggers The Release Of Endorphins
Laughter releases endorphins, the natural painkillers of the body, which can help relieve chronic pain and make you feel good.
4. Produces A General Sense Of Well-Being
Laughing can increase your overall sense of well-being. Doctors have found that people with a positive attitude toward life are more resistant to illness than those with a negative attitude. So smile, laugh, and live longer!
5. Boosts T-Cells
T-cells are specialized cells of the immune system that wait inside your body to activate. When you laugh, you activate T-cells, which immediately begin to help you fight disease. The next time you have a cold, add a smile to your illness prevention plan.
6. Lowers Blood Pressure
Smiling and laughing lead to people having lower blood pressure and lower chances of stroke, and better heart health.
7. Relieves Pain
Laughter boosts endorphin levels hence relieving pain. It makes you happier by increasing pain tolerance levels.
8. Brings About Relaxation In Your Body
Stress can contract your muscles. Laughter can help relieve stress because it relaxes your muscles. A good laugh relieves extra strain on your muscles for up to 45 minutes as it stimulates blood circulation.
9. Burns Calories
One study found that laughing for 10-15 minutes a day can burn about 40 calories, enough to lose 3-4 pounds in a year.
10. Reduces Anger
Nothing dissipates anger and conflict faster than a shared laugh. Looking on the fun side can put things into perspective and allow you to move on from confrontation rather than bitterness or resentment.
11. Makes You More Sociable
Laughter has been found to strengthen relationships, enhance teamwork and promote group bonding.
12. Stimulates Many Organs
Laughter increases your intake of oxygen, stimulates your lungs, heart, and muscles, and increases your brain’s release of endorphins.
13. Brings About A Positive Outlook
Smiling creates positive feelings. Maintaining this optimistic mindset has real health benefits, like extending life, improving cardiovascular health, and lowering rates of depression. Take the time to connect with a friend or family member who makes you laugh, whether through their jokes or shared stories. Remember that the more laughter there is in your life, the happier you and those around you will be.
14. Reduces Depression
It has long been known that laughter can help people with SAD or severe depression. Laughter reduces tension and stress and reduces anxiety and irritability, all of which are major contributors to depression. Laughter therapy has been shown to reduce depressed mood in patients by inducing feelings of well-being and positivity.
15. Brings About An Internal Workout
A good belly laugh can exercise the diaphragm, contract the abs, and even exercise the shoulders, making the muscles more relaxed afterward. Laughing 100 times equals 10 minutes on a rowing machine or 15 minutes on a stationary bike.
16. Improves Breathing
Laughter empties your lungs of more air than you inhale, creating a cleansing effect similar to deep breathing. It is particularly useful for people suffering from respiratory diseases such as asthma.
17. Helps To Lose Weight
Burning calories while laughing may not seem like much, but sincere laughter increases your heart rate and speeds up your metabolism. If you’re on a diet, consider adding a laughter schedule to your routine.
18. Changes Perspectives
Research shows that our responses to stressful events change depending on whether we view something as a threat or a challenge. Humor can lighten our perspective, making situations less threatening and more positive.
19. Improves Self-esteem
When we crack a joke and notice the smile on a loved one’s face, it can bring personal satisfaction and boost our self-esteem.
20. Strengthens Bonds Among People
Laughing is contagious. Being able to share a laugh helps improve the way family members interact. It enhances resilience and strengthens connections.
21. Lets You Sleep Well
A good laugh before bed can reduce anxiety and lead to deep sleep, just what you need after a long day.
22. Keeps Diabetes At Bay
Laughter affects the neuroendocrine system, which monitors the body’s glucose levels. Similar to exercise, it can improve the overall performance of heart muscle function, thereby preventing heart disease. In fact, blood sugar can rise due to negative emotions such as stress, fear, and anxiety. Lots of laughter can regulate blood sugar because it massages the endocrine glands responsible for glucose production.
23. Makes You Look Younger
Laughter is a very effective exercise for the facial muscles. About 15 facial muscles come together to put a smile on your face. Laughter increases the blood supply to your cheeks, nourishes the skin, and gives your face a radiant glow. It slims the face and gives you an alluring look.
Laughter is indeed the best medicine. Laughter works as the best therapy in one’s life. The best way to overcome our troubles is with a smile. It is the most effective antidote to pain, stress, and conflict. Wholehearted laughter creates positive vibes and lightens up the entire surroundings. So let’s remember to have a good laugh frequently, and this will keep us and everyone around us happy and healthy.
