Once we leave childhood behind, we replace laughter with work, chores and worry, laughing 15 times a day rather than our pre-adulthood 400 times. It's a shame, say proponents of "laughter yoga" since laughter is not only fun, but also has a number of health benefits, including reducing stress, boosting the immune system, strengthening the heart, and improving circulation. It's easy to improve your health with laughter yoga (also called hasya yoga) by following some simple steps.
Instructions
Improve your Health with Laughter Yoga
1. If you can, find a laughter yoga class or a laughter yoga club by using an Internet search or by using the website below. Laughter yoga is best if guided and performed in a group. If there are no classes or groups near you, you can start a laughter club of your own.
2. Warm up: Clap for a 3-count, then a 2-count, chanting "Ho Ho" "Ha Ha Ha" as you clap.
3. Breathe deeply by drawing in a large breath through your nose letting it fill the top of your lungs and down to the very bottom of your lungs. Hold for 10 seconds and breathe out in a controlled way, feeling the air leave the top of your lungs, then the middle then the bottom. Repeat 3 times.
4. Raise your arms in the air and laugh heartily with your head thrown back.
5. If there are other people in your group, laugh heartily as you nod to them or shake their hands.
6. Do the "milkshake laughter" exercise. Pretend you are holding two milkshake cups, one with the mixture and one without. Make the motions to pour the mixture back and forth, chanting while you do it. Then make the motion to drink it. Laugh again at the end.
7. Laugh silently, using all the muscles of your face.
Tags: laughter yoga, your lungs, laugh heartily