Laughter (Hasya) Yoga is a series of breathing and easy movement exercises
designed to teach the body to laugh without depending on jokes or humor.
The worldwide laughter movement started in India in 1995 when Dr. Madan Kataria,
a Mumbai physician, discovered the physical and psychological benefits enjoyed by
his patients who had taken to heart his prescription for regular laughter. They were
happier, healthier and more productive. With his wife, Madhuri Kataria, a yoga
teacher, Dr. Kataria developed Laughter Yoga-- a series of breathing and movement
exercises designed to teach the body to laugh without depending on jokes or humor.
Today there are more than 5000 Laughter Clubs world wide.
Three Things NOT Required for Laughter
A sense of humour.
Anyone can laugh!
Feeling Happy.
Laughter Helps when we
are sad! It just seems
harder
A Reason.
We Simulate to
Stimulate!
The Yoga Connection
The word yoga is Sanskrit meaning to yoke or to join in balance.
To yoke mind and body through breath
To join the conscious mind with the sub conscious through movement
To balance our inner and outer worlds
To live with purpose and in harmony
Laughter Yoga achieves all this through body awareness
and breathing.
Laugh For The Health Of It!
Allan O’Meara 604.733.4077 [email protected]
Laugh Out Loud Yoga 604.721.4562 www.lolyoga.com
Why do we need Laughter to stay healthy emotionally?
Laughter is essential to mental health for a variety of reasons:
• Laughter enhances our ability to affiliate or connect with others.
• Laughter helps us replace distressing emotions with pleasurable feelings. You cannot feel angry,
depressed, anxious, guilty, or resentful and experience humor at the same time.
• Not enough laughter causes one's thought processes to stagnate leading to increased distress.
• Laughter changes behavior - when we experience humor we talk more, make more eye contact
with others, touch others, etc.
• Laughter increases energy, and with increased energy we may perform activities that we might
otherwise avoid.
• Finally, laughter is good for mental health because it makes us feel good!
The Health Benefits of Laughter
•reduces stress
• lowers blood pressure
• elevates mood
• boosts the immune system
• improves brain function
• protects the heart
Research has shown that heart disease can be related to distressing emotions like
depression, anger and anxiety.
Muscle Relaxation - Belly laugh results in muscle relaxation. While you laugh, the muscles that do
not participate in the belly laugh, relaxes. After you finish laughing those muscles involved in the
laughter start to relax. So, the action takes place in two stages.
Reduction of Stress Hormones - Laughter reduces at least four neuroendocrine hormones
associated with the stress response. These are epinephrine, cortisol, dopac, and growth hormone.
Immune Enhancement - Clinical studies have shown that humor strengthens the immune system.
Laugh For The Health Of It!
Allan O’Meara 604.733.4077 [email protected]
Laugh Out Loud Yoga 604.721.4562 www.lolyoga.com
Pain Reduction - Humor allows a person to "forget" about pain for brief periods which has long
lasing effects. See Norman Cousins Anatomy of an Illness.
Cardiac Exercise - A belly laugh is equivalent to "an internal jogging." Laughter can provide good
cardiac conditioning especially for those who are unable to perform physical exercises.
Blood Pressure - Women seem to benefit more than men in preventing hypertension.
Respiration - Frequent belly laughter empties your lungs of more air than it takes in resulting in a
cleansing effect - similar to deep breathing. Especially beneficial for patient's who are suffering
from emphysema and other respiratory ailments
A Healthy Workplace is a Safe Work Place.
The financial post reports that productivity losses due to mental illness cost Canadian businesses
an estimated $33 billion a year. Today’s businesses have discovered the value and relevance of
workplace wellness programs. A cost benefit study in 1996 showed that BC Hydro’s Health and
Wellness program produced $1.2 million in reduced sick leave costs annually.
The business community is becoming increasingly conscious of the necessity of workplace
wellness. Sun Life Financial in Nova Scotia for example is presently conducting a study called the
Healthy Workplace project. Their research hopes to determine the effectiveness of workplace
wellness programs and how such programs impact productivity and costs such as; health benefits,
workers’ compensation, workplace accidents, disabilities and employee turnover.
The following statistics are from Statistics Canada and the Canadian Council on Integrated Health
Care (2003):
51% of employees say they experience a great deal of stress at work.
25% say workplace stress has made them physically ill.
50% say they’re worried work stress will cause long term illness.
In 1997 the average number of days full time employees were absent was 7.4. In 2001 the average
was 8.5.
The annual cost of employee absences to Canadian Business is $8.6 billion.
The cost of mental illness in 2001 was $14.4 billion
Laugh For The Health Of It!
Allan O’Meara 604.733.4077 [email protected]
Laugh Out Loud Yoga 604.721.4562 www.lolyoga.com
Proportion of disability clams related to mental illness is 50%.
Proportion of drug costs spent on antidepressants is 25%
Of those with depression, percentage that is undiagnosed is 50%.
Amount Canadian Insurance Companies paid out in health insurance benefits:
•
•
In 1990: $5.9 billion
In 2002: $12.5 billion
Many studies predict that depression will emerge as the leading cause of disability globally,
followed by ischemic heart disease. The risk of disability is magnified by internal and external
pressures that contribute to the rapidly changing nature of work and workplace organization.
“Laughter is good for mental health because it makes
us feel good!”
First Principle: We simulate to stimulate!
Second Principle: Motion creates emotion!
Laugh For The Health Of It!
Allan O’Meara 604.733.4077 [email protected]
Laugh Out Loud Yoga 604.721.4562 www.lolyoga.com
SOME LAUGHTER EXERCISES
Appreciation
Laughter
Argument
Laughter
Deep Breathing
look at others as you laugh and appreciate each other. This is a valuebased laughter, reminding the participants how important it is to
appreciate others. The tip of the index finger is joined with the tip of
the thumb, making a small circle. The hand is moved forward and
backwards in jerks while looking at different members and laughing in
a very gentle manner, appreciating your fellow beings
The leader presents an absurd scenario and seeks a number of
volunteers. Two volunteers begin by arguing with each other with
laughter and pointing at each other. Substitutes can take their
places, or, eventually, two teams can argue against each other,
pointing index fingers. Alternately, you don’t need a scenario and you
can argue hypothetically.
Argument Laughter can be followed by Apology or Forgiveness
Laughter.
See also: Motor Boat Bumper Car Argument
• Slow and rhythmic breathing techniques with arm movement
(physical and mental relaxation). Raise arms up with in-breath
• Same but making a humming sound on the way down
• Same but making a high pitch sound on the way up and a
humming sound (with lips?) on the way down
•
•
•
Cell Phone
Laughter
Pick up an imaginary flower and fully appreciate its fragrance as
you breathe in LAUGHING ON THE EXHALE
Keep your hands above your head in prayer position and take 3 full
deep breath LAUGHING ON THE EXHALE
Hands above head, elbows bent, hands in prayer position behind
head, take 3 full deep breath LAUGHING ON THE EXHALE
Hold imaginary cell phones; move around to meet different people and
interact while laughing; point to cell phone as if pointing to the person
you’re talking to
The Laughter Yoga Mantra:
Ho Ho Ha Ha Ha chanting in unison, with rhythmic clapping, based on
dynamic yogic breathing
Laugh For The Health Of It!
Allan O’Meara 604.733.4077 [email protected]
Laugh Out Loud Yoga 604.721.4562 www.lolyoga.com
What is your Laughter Quotient?
Courtesy: “Healing with Humour”, C.R. Fenwick
Rate each of the following statements on how true they are for you
almost never = 1 seldom = 2 sometimes = 3 often = 4 always = 5
1. I hear myself laughing out loud.
___
2. I am a fun person to be with
___
3. My sense of humour helps me get along with others
___
4. I play spontaneously
___
5. I feel okay about acting silly in appropriate situations.
___
6. I regularly plan times for playing and laughing
___
7. I can laugh at my own mistakes
___
8. I use humour to help others feel better
___
9. I make the best of a bad situation
___
10. I avoid using humour that makes others uncomfortable
___
11. I avoid sarcastic & negative humor
___
12. I can see something positive in most situations
___
13. I take time for holidays
___
14. My family & friends support my need for fun
___
Laugh For The Health Of It!
Allan O’Meara 604.733.4077 [email protected]
Laugh Out Loud Yoga 604.721.4562 www.lolyoga.com
What is your Laughter Quotient?
Courtesy: “Healing with Humour”, C.R. Fenwick
15. When I feel stressed, my sense of humour keeps things in perspective
___
16. I feel comfortable laughing at work
___
17. I allow myself to play first and work later
___
18. My sense of humour is one of my best qualities
___
19.I believe laughing contributes to my sense of well being
___
20. The more I laugh, the better I feel
___
Add Up Your Total Score
______
75 - 100 = High L. Q.
You are doing fine - keep it up!
50 - 75 = Average L.Q.
Pretty good, but could be better.
25 - 50 = Low L.Q.
Look back over the questionnaire and see what you need to tickle your funny bone
and get more laughter into your life. Become more aware of how you react to
situations.
Laugh For The Health Of It!
Allan O’Meara 604.733.4077 [email protected]
Laugh Out Loud Yoga 604.721.4562 www.lolyoga.com