Can happiness heal you? laughter yoga is the answer
Have you ever been woken up by the sound of elderly men and women laughing in the nearby park? Have you noticed how a lot of people around you (and globally) have taken to laughter yoga in the recent years? That’s because laughter yoga has proven to be very beneficial. It helps you in two ways – alleviating specific health issues and improving overall well-being. Let’s take a deeper look.
Towards your health, it helps
1. Lower blood pressure: When we laugh, we inhale a lot of air. As a result, oxygen intake in our body increases which then stimulates blood circulation.
2. Increase heart and pulse rates: With an improvement in blood circulation, heart and pulse rates also increase, making you more energetic and active.
3. Strengthen immune system: Laughter yoga enables release of T-cells and other antibodies that make our immune system stronger. Simply put, it helps you fight off germs and other infections better.
4. Reduce pain: When we are in pain, our bodies automatically produce endorphins to counter it. Laughter further stimulates the production of endorphin, thus reducing any pain our body might be feeling or going through.
5. Improve heart’s health: With the overall improvement in blood circulation and heart rate, coupled with lower blood pressure, the health of your heart improves significantly.
For overall well-being, laughter yoga
1. Fosters good mood: Laughter uplifts one’s mood. Even though it might start artificially, it soon changes into natural laughter, making you feel relieved and more relaxed. The science behind it is the production of endorphins, which automatically lighten up your mood.
2. Reduces stress: The chemicals produced in your body through laughter yoga bring down your stress levels. The good mood created by this asana helps you be calmer and therefore less stressed.
3. Builds positive attitude in challenging times: Lower stress levels translate into more self-belief and positive energy. You feel more secure and are able to handle tough situations more confidently.
4. Fights depression and anxiety: Being happy and less stressed helps fight depression and anxiety attacks.
5. Improves the quality of sleep: In a study conducted by Korean scientists Ko and Youn, laughter therapy showed a positive impact of insomnia and quality of sleep in elderlies. This is because when you are less stressed and feeling positive, you tend to sleep better.
In short, whether you have an apple a day or not, you must do laughter yoga 10-15 minutes every morning. It is the least expensive therapy that offers lifelong benefits towards your mental, physical and emotional well-being.
