When he first experienced Laughter Yoga, Bill Alarid couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He wasn’t surprised at the concept itself, but rather the effect it had on the participants and the way it seemed to be so infectious. Once someone started, the laughter literally spread to everyone in the room.
“I was just amazed at what transpired,” Alarid said.
His sentiment isn’t surprising, because seeing Laughter Yoga in action can be a bit unbelievable. Watching people try to get themselves to elicit deep belly laughs is at first hard to understand, then hard to resist.
For example: Take a deep breath and let it out with a purposeful, guttural “ha ha ha.” Better yet, stand facing someone and breathe a laugh while that person does the same. Stare into each other’s eyes. In short time, real, gut-busting laughter will break out.
“That’s just it,” Alarid said. “It’s contagious.”
Laughter Yoga is a mind-body workout that doesn’t cause participants to break a sweat, doesn’t require special clothing, and doesn’t even need anything in particular to laugh at—it’s a process that just happens once people start.
After learning more about Laughter Yoga, Alarid decided to become a certified Laughter Yoga teacher. He’s in good company. Laughter Yoga International reports approximately 6,000 social laughter clubs in 60 countries.
The concept is catching on, probably because of the everyday benefits laughter
provides folks who regularly indulge.
“Almost everyone at some time has come home with a headache and realized they have a social engagement they can’t get out of,” Alarid said. “You go, and about two hours into it you’re refreshed because you’ve been laughing a lot.”
A typical Laughter Yoga session starts with some easy stretches, breathing practices, and various laughter techniques. Eventually, the fake laughter becomes real, and the session ends with everyone reaping the same benefits that accompany a good laugh.
“Obviously, it releases tension,” Alarid explained. “It’s a great pain killer, it generates endorphins, the immune system is strengthened. You feel it right away.”
[image-2] Laughter Yoga works because laughing can be spurred simply by trying to laugh. It feeds itself.
“You don’t have to have a reason to laugh,” Alarid said. “This is kind of a foolproof system—it’s just bypassing all of that and just gets straight to the heart of the matter.”
Laughter Yoga practitioners aim to combine the benefits of laughter and breathing to improve well-being. And because of its stripped-down nature—no special accoutrements necessary—anyone can participate, regardless of age, fitness level, body type, or physical ability. Hasyayoga Guru Jiten Kohi developed the concept, later popularized by Indian physician Madan Kataria. In essence, the goal of Laughter Yoga is to fake laughter until it becomes real. The belief is that the body doesn’t know the difference between fake laughter and real laughter and reaps benefits regardless of how genuine the chuckles are.
Benefits are psychological and physiological. According to Sebastien Gendry, founder of the American School of Laughter Yoga, laughter activates the same reward circuits in the brain tickled by cocaine, money, or a pretty face. The feel-good chemical dopamine is particularly responsible, and Gendry referred to studies that have demonstrated an increase in dopamine after a person is exposed to a funny scene or cartoon.
On the physical side, laughter increases a body’s oxygen levels, drops blood pressure, and improves circulation. The high endorphin levels elevate mood and reduce aches and pains. Immune, digestive, and sexual systems impacted by stress are switched on, Gendry explained, and overall stress levels drop.
There are several ways to incorporate laughter into your day aside from group laughter sessions. The simplest way is to fake it and force it. Seek outside stimuli, such as other laughing people. Collect toys and play with them. Watch funny movies. But laughing in a group can be a lot more fun. Gendry stressed, however, that while such interactions are good for you, Laughter Yoga is exercise.
“What you don’t use, you lose,” Gendry wrote in an e-mail to the Sun. “What you work on, you strengthen and get better at. This works across the board: running, swimming … laughing.”
And Gendry had a word or two for people hesitant to try Laughter Yoga: “You don’t know what you’re missing. We redefine laughter as exercise and an excuse to breathe deeper, with a positive attitude. This is not comedy. It’s fun, not funny.”
Arts Editor Shelly Cone laughs at herself every day. Contact her at scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jan 7-14, 2010.
