"Smile and the world smiles with you" is a popular saying that isn't just a random phrase. It's known that laughter has benefits; it reflects optimism and enhances positive energy in individuals and those around them. Laughing Yoga, or "laughing yoga," may be a recent addition to the fitness concept, but in fact, it began in Mumbai, India, in 1995 with Dr. Madan Kataria and his wife, yoga instructor Madhuri. Kataria states, "In laughing yoga, we do not laugh because we are happy; we are happy because we laugh."
So, what is it, and why is it called "yoga"? In Lebanon, a country where its people endure multiple crises and which ranks second in misery only to Afghanistan according to the "world index," laughing yoga could potentially alleviate some of the struggles faced by this population. It is a type of exercise that aids in enhancing mental health.
This form of exercise helps reduce stress and encourages more laughter and the release of happiness hormones, as well as bolstering immunity and physical structure. It is called this because it combines movements of laughter and breathing, practiced in groups since laughter is contagious. Given that the World Health Organization's theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day is "Making Mental Health a Priority for All," it is essential to highlight this type of exercise.
Laughing yoga instructor Sally Wahba emphasized the importance of laughter and its impact on mental and physical health through "The News Agency." She considered that "laughing yoga could be an alternative to visiting a psychologist, as it helps release happiness hormones, thereby alleviating insomnia and moderate depression and reducing anxiety levels. It can also transform and improve people's mental states and help them manage anger outbreaks."
Wahba noted that laughing yoga can improve physical health, as it acts like exercise by accelerating heart rates and organizing blood pressure, in addition to increasing oxygen intake through breathing and laughter.
In conclusion, it is said that "laughter extends life," and medicine recommends exercise to improve quality of life. So, what if laughter and exercise come together in laughing yoga?
