Laughing yoga is an immensely popular and fun activity that relieves stress. There are thousands of yoga groups working in various parts of the world and it is a surprise to many people that this type of yoga can save from a number of chronic diseases. According to health experts, it also improves immunity, cognition, and memory which can help to pass this stressful pandemic period.
Laughter yoga, also sometimes called laughing yoga is a set of specialized breathing exercises that endorse laughter. Yoga is a thousand years-long therapeutic and healing practice and its physical and psychological benefits for health are proven by research.
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Laughter therapy is around for many years but this technique as a medical treatment was first identified by Dr. Madan Kataria, from India, back in 1995. Dr. Kataria says that laughing yoga helps to improve mood, lower stress levels, regulate sleep, boost immunity, work on energy levels and overall improve the quality of life.
Laughing hard is not silly because it can help a person to pass any stressful period on his own. Watching a funny show or listening to jokes doesn’t always help and this time when the whole world is experiencing a traumatic public health crisis, self-help techniques like laughter yoga are extremely beneficial.
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The controlled breathing exercises in laughing yoga help the body to regain control which is somehow imbalanced by stress. It also works on oxygen level and makes sure that all body cells are receiving enough supply of it. This improved oxygen availability also works on the parasympathetic nervous system and relaxes the body.
Typically it is hard to take out time for a fun activity and now when major parts of the world are under restrictions, going to a public place is not an ideal thing. Spending time at home watching movies is fun but the coronavirus pandemic has kept millions of people at home and by this time, they are probably bored of everything.
Trying new things such as laughter yoga can help them to get over stress, anxiety, insomnia, and impaired immunity especially related to the fear of pandemic. The earlier reports on the COVID-19 pandemic suggested that the stress levels and use of antidepressants have been increased ever since this pandemic started.
Now that the virus has changed its form and increased its virulence, the mutated coronavirus variants have re-emerged as a new threat to public health.
This is a difficult time and there is not much that can be done at home. But engaging yourself in different activities that are unconventional and intend to lower stress levels instead of getting hooked to the prescription medicines is much more desirable.
Access to laughing yoga clubs is available in almost all major countries of the world, many of which are offering online services. Health experts recommend joining a virtual club and perform yoga with other participants.
It brings immediate benefits even without using medicines or supplements. Although the long-term benefits of laughing yoga are not studied yet health experts are hopeful that they exist.
