‘Ho-ho, ha-ha-ha!’ Try laughter yoga to improve well-being

Key takeaways:

• Research has shown multiple health benefits of laughter yoga — like reduced burnout and stress, among other advantages.
• Take a moment and learn how to do it from a certified laughter yoga teacher.

To combat the myriad of stressors in life, taking a break to plug into your inner joy opens the door to increased well-being.

Laughter yoga is a form of exercise that uses gentle movement, playful activity, breathing and laughing to reduce stress and anxiety, energize the body and induce positive mental, emotional and spiritual benefits — all without jokes or comedy. With laughter yoga, we laugh for the health of it.

Here are some of the health benefits:

• relieves feelings of mild depression;
• increases endorphins;
• uses core muscles;
• infuses your entire body with fresh oxygen;
• creates a positive attitude;
• balances your blood pressure;
• reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease through vasodilation; and
• supports your immune system through lymphatic massage.

Laughter yoga can be practiced alone or in a group setting. An extended duration of practice — more than 20 minutes for example — increases the beneficial effects; however, starting with a short duration and increasing over time is beneficial as well. The practice can be performed standing or seated.

Step 1:

To begin, close your eyes, inhale and exhale gently. Do a brief self-check-in to assess your current physiological and emotional state. You can use a rating scale of 1 to 10, with 1 indicating feelings of low energy or mood and 10 being high levels.

Step 2:

Extend your arms out in front of your body, with palms facing toward you. Smile as you inhale and bring your palms in toward your chest. As you exhale, turn your palms away from your body and fully extend your arms again. Repeat three times slowly, smiling on each inhale.

Step 3:

Extend your left arm directly out in front of you, palm facing down. Place the palm of your right hand on your left shoulder. Smile and inhale. As you exhale, run your right palm down the length of your left arm as if brushing it off. Repeat several times alternating arms. As you brush off each arm, imagine you are shooing away any stressful or anxious feelings you may be experiencing.

Step 4:

Raise both arms up, straight over your head as you inhale. As you slowly bring both arms back down, giggle gently. Repeat five times.

Step 5:

Using a full palm-to-palm connection, clap your hands to a 1-2, 1-2-3 rhythm and say, “ho-ho, ha-ha-ha!” Repeat three times.

Step 6:

With elbow flexed at 90 degrees, casually hold your left hand in front of your body as if you’re holding a beverage can. Lay your right hand on top of your left hand, like it’s a lid on the can. Laugh as you lift your right hand, letting the laughter escape from the can. Then quickly put your right hand back on top of the imaginary can to stop the laughter. Repeat several times, lifting your right hand to let the laughter out then “closing the can” to stop the laughter.

Step 7:

Raise both arms up, straight over your head, as you smile and inhale, initiating the breath from your diaphragm. Exhale as you slowly bring both arms back down. Repeat three times.

Step 8:

Laugh as you press the fingertips of your right and left index fingers together. Pull the fingertips apart, and the laughter stops. Bring your fingertips together, and the laughter begins again. Repeat several times. You can use different fingertips each time.

Step 9:

For this exercise, we’ll use an imaginary zipper that opens and closes your lips. Smile. Begin laughing, as the zipper is “open.” Then make a quick horizontal motion with your hand in front of your lips, as if zipping your mouth shut, and stop laughing. “Unzip” your lips, smile and begin laughing again. Repeat several times.

Step 10:

Using a full palm-to-palm connection, clap your hands to a 1-2, 1-2-3 rhythm and say “ho-ho, ha-ha-ha!” Repeat three times.

Step 11:

Raise both arms up, straight over your head, as you smile and inhale, initiating the breath from your diaphragm. Exhale as you slowly bring both arms back down. Repeat three times.

Step 12:

This next exercise is called “alo-ha!” laughter. As you raise both arms up directly over your head, say, “a-loooooo.” Then, as you slowly lower your arms, continue, with laughter, saying, “haa-haa-ha-ha-ha-ha-haaaa!” Smile and repeat several times.

Step 13:

Place both hands over your heart as you smile and inhale, initiating the breath from your diaphragm. On the exhale, laugh gently as you bring to mind a few things or people you are grateful for today. Repeat three times.

Step 14:

Close your eyes for a quick body scan. Inhale and exhale gently. Bring your awareness to your feet. Then become aware of both legs. Bring your awareness to the front and back torso. Notice your fingers, hands and both arms. Then notice your shoulders, neck and head.

Step 15:

Conduct a final self-check-in to assess your current physiological and emotional state. Using the same rating scale of 1 to 10, notice where you fall on the scale now, and recognize any changes in your mind, body or spirit.

Reference:

• Çelika AS, Klnçb T. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2022;doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2022.101637.