Laughing Our Way To Good Health
By Zoe Roxanne Ztarr/Kakas

In 1995, Dr. Madan Kataria, a medical doctor, first became convinced of the medical benefits of laughter when combined with yogic breathing exercises. Her discovery led her to create the first “Laughter Club.”

In these Laughter Club forums, participants simply stand around laughing, but it’s more than just laughing, they are also re-learning how to laugh by laughing. According to Dr. Kataria’s counter-intuitive findings, anyone can laugh in a group for 15-20 minutes without watching a stand-up comedian or a humorous movie or TV show which provokes the laughter.

Scientific research is now proving the healing properties of laughter. Dr. Lee Bark at Loma Linda University in California has studied changes in the human brain. In a paper presented in 2006 to the American Physiology Society, he reported that just the anticipation of the “mirthful laughter” (merriment) involved in watching a favorite funny movie has surprising and significant neuroendocrine/hormone effects. “Mirthful laughter diminishes the secretion of cortisol and epinephrine (the so-called “stress hormones”) while enhancing immune reactivity. In addition, mirthful laughter boosts secretion of growth hormones, an enhancer of key immune responses.”

At Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, volunteers were put into a metabolic chamber (a small room that measures heat output in order to calculate a person’s metabolic rate) and shown funny videos. Results showed the subjects’ metabolic rate rose by 10-40 calories. It’s a small increase, but every calorie counts for those seeking to lose weight, says lead researcher, Maciej Buchowski, Ph.D.

Other research points to the “heart healthy” benefits of laughter: It helps you to relax, improves focus and creativity, lifts depression, helps you achieve deeper, more restful sleep, boosts your self-esteem, and strengthens your respiratory system. Laughter causes the diaphragm to move up and down, thereby directly massaging your internal organs (lungs and stomach), which helps with digestion and constipation.

Caroline Anaya, a Henderson, Nevada group exercise instructor, who is certified as a Laughter/Yoga leader, says the objective is to bring good health, joy, and feeling better through laughter.

A typical laughter class lasts about one hour, starting with deep breathing exercises, then simple mindful stretches, followed by a series of laughing exercises based upon scenarios lasting at least 45 seconds each, with small breaks in between. The class finishes with participants lying prone on the floor in a wheel-shaped configuration with all their heads together, focusing on laughter, then meditation. Participants can wear comfortable clothing and be at any fitness level.

According to Dr. Kataria, in India, Club members proudly report that they can’t stand the idea of missing a class. They say it makes them happy, healthy, and energized — in essence, it has changed their lives. Most say they are full of positive energy, which makes it easy to cope with stress and impossible to feel depressed.

Try something new — join a Laughter class. Visit www.LaughterYoga.org .

Zoe Roxanne Ztarr/Kakas is a local resident of Henderson Nevada; she specializes in Mind/Body Wellness and is the author of two books. Visit: www.TheMindMuscle.com or call 702-294-2500.