What is laughing yoga and how does it work?

Laughter yoga, also known as hasya yoga, is founded on the concept that deliberate laughter has relatively similar physiological and psychological advantages as spontaneous laughter. Advocates believe that purposeful (simulated) laughter can be employed as a treatment for physiological, physical, and spiritual disorders (e.g., laughing at a joke).

The three main components of hasya yoga include breathwork, clapping, and laughter exercises. The techniques to generate laughter are incredibly simple, cheerful, happy, childlike, and entertaining. The breathwork consists of deep belly or diaphragmatic breathing, similar to that employed in more conventional kinds of yoga.

The key goal is to make our exhales longer than our inhales to put us in a peaceful, healthy condition. Laughing it out is the fastest and most efficient approach to do this. It enables the parasympathetic nervous system to calm the body and mind by expelling all the stagnant, stale air from the lungs.

How to ace it

A certified laughing yoga instructor guides participants through various exercises to encourage enjoyment and laughter. Laughing yoga is typically practiced in a group context, such as a group or workshop. Most sessions start with chanting, clapping, and simple breathing exercises to promote relaxation. For instance, you may start the session by clapping rhythmically to the numbers 1-2-3 while chanting "ho-ho, ha-ha-ha." Though it may appear ridiculous at first, the goal of this activity is to erase any internal judgment and to check your ego aside.

Additionally, the session could feature improv activities, reciting affirmations, light stretching, yoga breath practice, and meditation. These techniques are meant to make you laugh, have fun, and stop taking yourself so seriously.

Is it useful?

You've probably seen that laughing can have an immediate positive impact, like elevating your mood. However, increasing emphasis has been put on the long-term advantages of everyday laughter.

Endorphins and ‘happy’ hormones like serotonin and dopamine are first released when you laugh. Additionally, it inhibits stress hormones like cortisol. These outcomes are associated with improved mood, reduced discomfort, lower blood pressure levels, a better immune system, fewer levels of stress, and lower depression rates. Additionally, sharing a laugh with others can improve relationships by fostering a sense of community. It's also linked to sentiments of safety and security, making a person feel more at ease.

A 2019 review discovered that fake laughter reduced depression rates and elevated mood. According to the authors, laughing exercises require little intellect and do not rely on subjective humor, which means that most individuals may readily engage.

Other research has demonstrated that laughing yoga can temporarily lower levels of cortisol and stress, boost mood and energy, and foster a more optimistic outlook. In fact, it might be just as good at lowering self-reported stress as aerobic exercise.

Furthermore, while laughing yoga may assist in greater overall health, it should not be used in place of existing treatments provided by your healthcare professional. Instead, it can be combined with other things. However, practicing laughing yoga has almost no drawbacks and is accessible to people from all areas of life.

The takeaway

Laughing yoga is becoming increasingly popular as a fun method to laugh and relax. The goal of a regular class is to help you become more present by distracting your mind from everyday life stressors through a variety of exercises, improv, and breathing techniques. Together, these techniques may reduce your stress levels by promoting purposeful and genuine laughter.

Although further research is required to fully understand its advantages, there are hardly any drawbacks and most individuals can easily participate. Overall, laughter yoga is a terrific way to have fun, unwind, and rediscover the joy of laughing.