Laughter yoga, an option for being happier
This variant that is gaining adepts, combines breathing exercises with deliberate laughter to reduce stress and anxiety and to release endorphins
Laughing is as necessary as it is beneficial. The same may be said of exercise, which is always recommended by doctors. Therefore, joining together the two actions multiplies the benefits, elements which are prescribed by Doctor Madan Kataria, an ex-family physician and creator of laughter yoga 27 years ago. Kataria mixed some basic India pranayama stretches and breathing exercises to complement the laughter, which in itself helps to expel carbon dioxide, therefore increasing energy levels. The result is the so-called laughter yoga, which starts with a forced laugh that turns into a genuine one with practice, until reaching a guffaw. Practicing it improves moods and contributes to an improvement in physical and mental health. Additionally, laughing reduces stress and makes the body release endorphins.
