The Best Medicine

   There is a new way to feel better, according to media reports circulating this week.  A new trend is sweeping the nation, and giving out free cases of “the giggles” with every membership.  In the past few years, nearly 40 “laughter clubs” have been organized in major U.S. cities, clubs that promote the health benefits of laughter.

  Laughter yoga, as the practice is known, follows the findings of Dr. Madan Kataria, a family physician from Mumbai, India.  In 1995, he compiled scientific research on the health benefits of laughing and merged it with various elements of yoga.  He created his first “laughter club,” and laughter yoga was born.

  In the beginning, Dr. Kataria relied on jokes to get the laughter going.  But no joke is funny to everyone, and Kataria realized that good, clean jokes were in short supply.  He revisited the scientific literature, and found just the answer he was looking for.

  The human brain cannot differentiate between genuine laughter and fake laughter; both release “happy chemicals” in the brain.  The group didn’t need jokes to laugh.  Nowadays, most laughter clubs begin with simulated laughter and yogic breathing exercises; eventually, one person starts to giggle and, because laughter is contagious, soon the whole group is in stitches.

  Does it work?  I suspect it does.  This week, I saw video footage of a meeting on one of the cable news networks.  I couldn’t tell you the reporter’s name because, by the end of the piece, I was giggling too hard to notice.  It’s a silly thing, I know, but the health benefits of laughing seem to be worth an hour or so of silliness.

  Since the body can’t distinguish between real and contrived laughter, you don’t even have to have a sense of humor to benefit from laughter yoga.  You don’t even have to be happy to laugh, and you don’t need a reason.  As more and more people realize this, “laughter clubs” continue to crop up.  There now exist more than 4000 laughter clubs in the world, spanning 4 continents.

  Laughter Yoga is not a religion; it’s more of an exercise.  According to the mission statement on Dr. Kataria’s web site, Laughter Clubs are designed to be “free and public,” as well as “non-political, non-denominational, non-religious, non-competitive and open to everyone.” 

  Now, I have to admit, there is something a little New-Agey about it that seems a little “funny” to me.  I’ve never been one to buy into these feel-better-now paths to enlightenment and well-being.  But this one has a certain appeal to it.  It’s lighthearted.  It’s cheery.  And, well, it’s kinda funny—in a good way.

  Unfortunately, there aren’t any Laughter Clubs in Las Cruces.  The nearest one is in Tucson.  But if you’re interested in Laughter Yoga, you can find out more online at www.laughteryoga.org. 

-From Pulse
   May 18, 2006