Bedford Allergy Support Group

Article from the Daily Express dated Tuesday 30th August 2005 called “The Benefits of… Laughter”

The Benefits of… Laughter
You’ve got to laugh, haven’t you? Well, yes, actually, you have. Not only does it lift your spirits but it’s also one of the easiest ways to give your body a healthy workout.
Monty Python taught us always to look on the bright side of life, and scientists have proved that by doing so we can reduce stress, relax our muscles, stimulate our digestive system and even release plenty of feel-good endorphins to boost our flagging immune systems.
Laughing for just one minute can be as refreshing as 45 minutes of exercise, with up to 80 muscles being used, say scientists. If you belly-laughed for an hour, you’d burn nearly 500 calories - and also put yourself at risk of tummy cramps.
Researchers in the United States found that laughter causes the inner lining of blood vessels to expand, which increases blood flow to the heart by nearly 25 per cent. By comparison, people asked to watch a war film saw their blood flow drop by 35 per cent.
A leading proponent in the field of laughter therapy is Dr Madan Kataria, a Mumbai-based physician who started developing “laughter clubs” in 1985. He believed that getting people together to laugh would improve their confidence and mood. There are now more that 3000 laughter clubs over the world.

ALL SMILES: Laughing is good for your health

During sessions, people are encouraged to concentrate on deep breathing techniques which help to increase the body’s supply of oxygen. Participants also hop around screeching like monkeys and chickens to promote group laughter.
Those who have trouble getting started are encouraged to fake their laugh, which tricks the brain - which can’t tell the difference between the two - into releasing feel-good chemicals and paving the way towards real laughter.
It is said that as we get older, we forget how to laugh - at least, we laugh a lot less. Children are said to laugh an average of 400 times a day, whereas adults manage just 15.
Dr Michael Miller, professor at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, suggests that people try to flex their laughter muscles more regularly. He says: “We recommend you try to laugh on a regular basis. Thirty minutes of exercise three times a week and 15 minutes of laughter on a daily basis is good for the vascular system.”

To find a Laughter Club near you, visit the website: www.laughteryoya.org