Here's how to practice laughter yoga daily
What's the story
Laughter yoga combines laughter exercises with yoga breathing techniques to improve well-being and happiness.
The practice, which started in India, believes that voluntary laughter provides the same physiological and psychological benefits as spontaneous laughter.
Doing these exercises can help you reduce stress levels, improve your mood, and boost energy.
Here are five ways to introduce laughter yoga in your routine to improve happiness.
Breathing basics
Start with breathing exercises
Start off your laughter yoga session with deep breathing exercises.
Inhale deeply through the nose, hold for a few seconds and exhale slowly through mouth.
This relaxes the body and gets it ready for laughter exercises by increasing oxygen flow to the brain.
Practicing deep breathing regularly can increase lung capacity and reduce anxiety.
Gibberish fun
Engage in gibberish talk
Gibberish talk is speaking nonsensical words/sounds without meaning. This activity encourages you to let go off your inhibitions and be silly.
Speaking gibberish for a few minutes can make you release tension and trigger spontaneous laughter. It can lift mood and create a sense of joy.
Meditation Moments
Practice laughter meditation
Laughter meditation has a cycle of intentional laughing sessions followed by moments of silence.
It starts with hearty laughing for a minute, followed by thirty seconds of silence, and repeating the process several times.
The technique purges the mind of negative thoughts, puts you in a relaxed and emotionally neutral state, and makes you happier.
Playful moves
Incorporate playful exercises
Include playful movements like clapping hands rhythmically or imitating animal sounds in your laughter yoga session.
Not only do these encourage creativity, but they also trigger the release of endorphins in the brain, which are the chemicals responsible for happiness.
The exercises help participants reconnect with the inner child, creating a joyful, light-hearted environment that contributes to overall well-being.
Group dynamics
Join a laughter yoga group
Joining a laughter yoga group not only gives you a chance to spread joy together but also enjoy the benefits of social interaction on mental health.
Being a part of a group helps strengthen bonds between members who empower each other's path to a healthier life with fun-filled moments together in each session.