Amidst the whirlwind of this chaotic world, somewhere we have forgotten what we all learned when we were little (and a lot healthier) – “laughter is the best medicine”.
There is a reason why this saying has lived through generations and passed down as wisdom. The reason is that it’s true and even science has proven it.
According to a report published on Forbes’ website, laughter has the same effect on a human mind as anti-depressants and it has an anti-inflammatory effect on the human heart and protects it from cardiovascular diseases.
This is why many yoga professionals are promoting laughter yoga to be made a part of one’s routine for healthier living. After all, it has surprising health benefits. Here are some prominent ones for you.
Body
Improving immunity: Immune system in the human body takes care of the overall health. Preventing allergies, infections and even cancers is the biggest role your immune system plays. An unhealthy lifestyle can make it deficient and weak.
Laughter yoga helps the body in producing white blood cell count which are responsible for producing antibodies in the blood that can save you from severe potential health risks.
Building a healthy heart: When we laugh, our body produces stress-relieving hormones that help in moderating blood pressure. It may not cure you of your serious issues related to blood pressure immediately, however, laughter yoga can help you in promoting a healthy habit which can eventually aid you in reducing your medicinal dosage.
Since hypertension is one of the major causes of heart diseases, laughter yoga is the best preventive medicine for you to keep your heart healthy.
Respiratory health: Laughing out loud is one of the most effective exercises for people suffering from respiratory ailments like bronchitis or asthma. Laughter yoga promotes healthy lungs by increasing the lung capacity and oxygen levels in the blood.
Another big perk of improved lung capacity with the help of laughter yoga is increased stamina.
Laughter yoga is also known to promote the growth of antibodies in the respiratory passage membranes, thereby reducing the risk of infections.
Exercising facial muscles: We often take care of all the muscles of our body with different exercises, however, the best-known exercise for facial muscles is laughter. So, all you have to do for toning your facial muscles is a laugh or take up laughter therapy. It increases the blood circulation in your face which can help you in getting rid of the extra fat and make your skin look healthy and glowing.
Mind
Stress reliever: It is widely known that laughter releases endorphins and that endorphins make us happy and relieve stress. However, laughter also fights the hormones that are caused during a stressful situation, such as, epinephrine and cortisol.
Laughter yoga even works as a muscle relaxant. It dilates the blood vessels, thereby, increases the blood flow to all the muscles.
Improved mental health: The limbic region of our brain is what controls all of our body’s basic survival functions as well as all the emotions including laughter. And any dysfunction in this region is known to cause illnesses like depression, anxiety, Parkinsosn’s, ADHD, and even Alzheimers and Schizophrenia.
A Hearty laughter or laughter yoga helps in reducing the mental tension and increasing energy and blood flow to the brain, thus, stimulating the limbic region. Many studies have found that laughing reduced hostility in patients with Schizophrenia and severe depression.
Soul
Happiness: The endorphins released during laughing bring out the best in us. They make us happier and more optimistic. this, in turn, improves our self-esteem and help us in making stronger bonds with other people.
In fact, a neurotransmitter called catecholamine released during laughter is responsible for many crucial functions of our body, like, memory, learning, emotions, movements, and cognition help sour overall being to function better.
So when you are laughing out loud, you are not just having a good and memorable time but you are also making your whole body and mind healthier. This is why laughing yoga is the best kind of meditation that not only makes your mind healthy but also your body. It is the only contagious thing that should be caught happily.