Healing cackles
Either voluntary or involuntary — laughter is known to bless people with many short-term and long-term benefits
"Laughter is the best medicine". Therefore, "When in doubt, laugh out loud"
In this fast-paced world where we barely pause to smile at each other, we truly need a good dose of LOL (laugh out loud) therapy. Laughter truly is an excellent way to reduce stress in our lives. Not only does laughter provide a full-scale workout for our muscles, but also unleashes a tsunami of stress-busting endorphins (the happy chemicals).
If you are wondering how forcing yourself to laugh is of any good, you would be surprised. Studies show that our brains register the fake laughter often as real laughter, and if you are left giggling, then the brain certainly registers this as a positive impact.
Gelotology is the study of laughter and its effects on the body from a psychological and physiological perspective. It is a branch of science that has tonnes of studies surrounding it. Annette Goodheart is a psychotherapist and inventor of laughter therapy and coaching. William F Fry, a psychiatrist from Stanford University, is considered a pioneer in this field and has conducted plenty of research showing that the impact of laughter is quantifiable and has positive psychological effects on various aspects of health.
A 2011 study from Oxford University also concluded that continuous laughter significantly increases people's pain threshold by as much as 10 per cent. Therapeutic laughter can be used in mental health. It can gradually become a part of lifestyle modification strategy as a complementary/alternative approach to other established therapeutic strategies.
Short term and long-term effects of laughter therapy:
• Stimulates organs
• Lowers stress response
• Reduces tension
• Boosts immune system
• Relieves chronic pain
• Helps improve mood
• Increases personal satisfaction and quality of life
Laughter yoga
It is a form of yoga performed in groups, in which it is believed that voluntary laughter would lead to the same benefits as spontaneous laughter. Hasya Yoga is beneficial to people of all age groups from all walks of life.
Laughter therapy exercise
❇ Phase-I: clapping of hands in a rhythm to activate acupuncture points
❇ Phase-II: Deep-breathing exercises to help lighten the mood and relax your lungs.
❇Phase-III: Laughing like a child playfully without any reason
❇ Hearty laughter: Direct your laughter to come straight from your heart.
❇ Imitation laughter: Imitate someone else's voice you think is funny, such as a celebrity.
❇Embarrassing scenario: Recall an embarrassing incident and retell it.
❇ Dyslexic laughter: swing both hands gently from side-to-side chanting ho ho ha ha ha, which engages both left and right brains.
❇No-sound laughing, silent laughter.
❇ Celebration laughter: Share any tiny incident that is worth celebrating with a group and start laughing in enjoyment.
❇ Silly laughter: Explore the absurd, the ridiculous and the unbelievable
❇ Swinging laughter: in a circle, moving, waving, laughing in prolonged sounds.
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