Cart

Your cart is empty

Continue shopping now

Laughter Is the Best Medicine

Sporty & Rich Wellness - Laughter Is the Best Medicine

 

By: @inceipek1

 

Over the past four decades, countless scientific studies have proven that laughter has a powerful and profound effect on the human body and mind. Laughter increases the supply of oxygen to body tissues, boosts immunity, relieves pain, lowers stress, and even helps protect against heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and migraines. Unfortunately, laughter has been gradually disappearing from our fast-paced modern lives, and people find it difficult to laugh amidst the endless daily stressors they face. Although various methods are available to release stress, most of them can be time-consuming and expensive. However, laughter yoga is a simple, cost-effective, and fast technique for reducing stress.

 

Laughter yoga combines laughter with yogic breathing called pranayama. It helps people laugh without relying on humor, jokes, or comedy. At the beginning of the practice, laughter is simulated as a physical exercise while maintaining eye contact with others in your group and endorsing childlike playfulness. Science has shown us that the body cannot differentiate between simulated and real laughter (fake it ‘till you make it!), so in most cases, this exercise leads to genuine laughter.

 

You may wonder why you should force yourself to laugh when other means, such as watching a comedy movie or a stand-up, can make you laugh. There are three reasons why one should practice laughter yoga:

 

To enjoy the health benefits of laughter, one needs to laugh for at least 10 to 15 minutes each day. In other words, it should be sustained laughter. This is because natural laughter barely lasts for more than three to four seconds at a time, which is insufficient to bring about physiological and psychological changes.


For laughter to demonstrate health benefits, it must be hearty and deep, coming from the diaphragm. In other words, it should be a belly laugh. Laughter Yoga clubs provide a safe environment where one can laugh loudly without any shame or worries.


Natural laughter may be hard to practice since laughter depends on many factors. Laughter yoga allows participants to laugh unconditionally - you do not leave laughter to chance but do it out of a commitment to enjoy its health benefits.

 

Laughter yoga has many benefits, such as toning your digestive system, improving your circulatory system, and strengthening your respiratory system through yogic breathing. Laughter Yoga also helps change your mood within minutes by releasing endorphins from your brain cells. Since this practice is like an aerobic exercise, it increases your heart rate and blood circulation, thereby relaxing your muscles. It’s important to remember to laugh when times are challenging. Remember, laughter is the best medicine!

 

References:

https://laughteryoga.org/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4439472/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2814549/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16319105/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12716853/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2686627/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4316242/

 Laughter Yoga by Madan Kataria (book)

Previous
Next

The Wellness Club

High Intensity Exercise: Good or Bad?

High Intensity Exercise: Good or Bad?

Translation missing: en.blogs.article.by Taylor Davis

By @coreflexpilates founder Chris Bardawil HIIT or high intensity interval training has become a pretty normal part of modern training, its something you have probably already done without even realising it. It was popularised over a decade ago with Crossfit and now modernised in many forms of classes we see at gyms as well as being seen all over the web with HIIT routines and...

Read more
5 Benefits of Reformer Pilates

5 Benefits of Reformer Pilates

Translation missing: en.blogs.article.by Taylor Davis

By: @coreflexpilates, founder Chris Bardawil Reformer pilates is everywhere, it's not just all over social media we are also seeing our favourite celebs doing it. The reality is reformer pilates has been a staple of many people’s exercise routines for over a decade now, and for good reason.

Read more
Burnout: What Is It and How to Recover

Burnout: What Is It and How to Recover

Translation missing: en.blogs.article.by Taylor Davis

By: @drmelissa.co Burnout is a concern I see often in clinical practice. Although it is not a diagnosable disease, it is a syndrome, meaning it is defined by a set of symptoms, but does not have a consistent progression or clear treatment plan. In other words, burnout is a very real issue, but may look different from person to person and require...

Read more
Nutritional Support for Hashimoto’s Disease and Hypothyroidism

Nutritional Support for Hashimoto’s Disease and Hypothyroidism

Translation missing: en.blogs.article.by Taylor Davis

  By: Megan Tomlin @gooodmoodfoood Did you know that up to 60% of cases of Hashimoto’s disease go undiagnosed? Or that women are 5 to 8 times more likely to have a thyroid condition? Knowing these facts, it is shocking that so many of us are still unclear about...

Read more
Are Collagen Supplements Worth Taking? A Dermatologist Weighs In.

Are Collagen Supplements Worth Taking? A Dermatologist Weighs In.

Translation missing: en.blogs.article.by Taylor Davis

By: @dermahealthnutrition The pursuit of youthful, glowing skin is a timeless quest. It fuels a booming industry of skincare products, treatments, and supplements, including collagen, all claiming to improve the signs of ageing. Here's what you need to know to navigate the abundance of collagen powders, capsules, and liquids.  Skin ageing is a multifaceted...

Read more
Sporty & Rich Wellness - Collagen-Rich Foods vs. Supplements

Collagen-Rich Foods vs. Supplements

Translation missing: en.blogs.article.by Taylor Davis

By: @coreflexpilates founder Chris Bardawil What is the best way to boost your body's collagen production? Supplements or diet, here is a run down of the basics to help you navigate your way around understanding collagen and how you can boost your body's supplies. Collagen...

Read more
The Power of Spending Time in Silence

The Power of Spending Time in Silence

Translation missing: en.blogs.article.by Taylor Davis

@emily_campbell In today’s age, even if you don’t live in a hustling and bustling city, you may still experience constant noise. We have become so accustomed to noise everywhere we go, including our homes. Without knowing it, you may prefer “background noise” to block out any unwanted thoughts or feelings that pop up....

Read more
Sporty & Rich Wellness - How to Navigate Job Insecurity

How to Navigate Job Insecurity

Translation missing: en.blogs.article.by Taylor Davis

By: @ericabassotherapy Experiencing a layoff at your workplace or losing your job can be extremely stressful. It's normal to feel a range of emotions during such times. Job loss or insecurity can threaten components of psychological well-being, such as one’s financial health and identity, and leave individuals feeling vulnerable and...

Read more
Irregular Periods: What Do They Mean?

Irregular Periods: What Do They Mean?

Translation missing: en.blogs.article.by Taylor Davis

By: drmelissa.co A woman’s period is a vital sign. Just like your blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and breath rate, a woman’s cycle is indicative of her health overall. An imbalanced period indicates suboptimal health.  The menstrual cycle is incredibly complex and requires a constellation of factors to align for it to occur at regular intervals. Factors that can delay a period or cause...

Read more
The Health Benefits of Ghee

The Health Benefits of Ghee

Translation missing: en.blogs.article.by Taylor Davis

By: @islandem_ Ghee, or clarified butter, is the product of slowly heating cow’s butter to 100°C until the fat, milk protein (casein), and sugar (lactose) separate. The protein and milk are...

Read more
The Power of Napping

The Power of Napping

Translation missing: en.blogs.article.by Taylor Davis

By: @inceipek1 In today's fast-paced world, where work schedules are demanding and screens keep us connected around the clock, finding time to rest and rejuvenate has become increasingly challenging. However, one simple yet highly effective practice that offers us a potential solution is napping. Often underestimated, napping holds a plethora of benefits for both physical and mental health. The Science Behind Napping

Read more
Should You Workout on an Empty Stomach?

Should You Workout on an Empty Stomach?

Translation missing: en.blogs.article.by Taylor Davis

By: @coreflexpilates founder Chris Bardawil  This is a topic that has so many variables but this article will give you some real world experience and ideas on how you can come to your own conclusion when it comes to working out on an empty stomach. The first thing to consider...

Read more