Try this: Laughter yoga is nothing to joke about
- Reviewed by Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Laughter yoga blends traditional yoga movements with laughter therapy to offer a playful approach to stress management.
The group sessions consist of physical exercises, such as clapping and arm and leg movements; neck and shoulder stretches; relaxation and breathing techniques; and forced smiling and vigorous laughter (although it’s common for laughter to eventually happen by itself).
Laughter yoga has proved to be a great mood booster and stress reliever. Nurses providing patient care during COVID reduced their burnout risk after attending laughter yoga classes twice a week for four weeks, according to a 2022 study in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice.
Research published in 2023 in Geriatric Nursing found that eight sessions of laughter yoga increased quality of life and reduced loneliness among adults ages 65 and older.
For more information on laughter yoga and to find a local class, visit the website of Laughter Yoga International at www.laughteryoga.org.
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About the Author
Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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