Laughter Yoga: An Unusual Path to Wellness

A form of yoga that requires participants to cackle uncontrollably in the company of strangers may sound bizarre. However, this burgeoning wellness trend is claimed by practitioners to relieve stress, fend off illness, and foster a sense of community. Self-professed ‘repressed Brit’ Fiona Tapp joins a laughter yoga class in California to explore this unique practice.

Every day, the early morning dog walkers and crack-of-dawn surfers at Laguna Beach’s Main Beach share the sand with an unusual crowd who stand facing the ocean, giggling and guffawing until their sides ache. These participants are part of the Laguna Laughter Club – the only laughter yoga group outside India that meets daily. Today, Fiona is joining them for a class.

Laugh it Up

Having been a yoga fan since 2001, I quickly realize that this laughter class will be a totally different experience. A few curious walkers give our mismatched group serious side-eye as they pass by, and I feel a swell of embarrassment as a repressed Brit. However, I remind myself that I’ll never see these people again, which allows me to listen intently and follow along with a series of stretches and opening laughter prompts.

There aren’t any traditional jokes involved in the session; instead, it resembles an improv class more than a comedy routine. The hardest part, for me, is making eye contact with other participants and suppressing my London sneer at the level of early-morning cheerfulness on display.

After the initial awkwardness wears off, it starts to feel a lot like any other exercise class. I stretch, breathe deeply, and focus on my thoughts and feelings. A rhythm quickly develops where each new laughter prompt is followed by a familiar chant and clap combination: “ho, ha, ha, ha, ha” and “Very good, very good, yay!”

The Benefits

My teacher, Jeffrey Briar, the Director of the Laughter Yoga Institute based in Laguna Beach, has been practicing traditional yoga since he was a teenager. After a career as a comedian and performer, he heard about laughter yoga from a friend and subsequently trained with the creators, Dr. and Mrs. Madan Kataria, in India. He has been practicing laughter yoga almost daily for the past 20 years.

Briar, alongside numerous laughter yoga enthusiasts, claims there are many benefits to regular laughter. These include relieving stress, reducing blood pressure and pain, releasing endorphins, improving lung capacity and oxygen levels, and providing a beneficial massage to internal organs.

“In the years before consistent daily laughing, I averaged three weeks of illness each year,” says Briar, smiling. “Nowadays, years may go by without suffering through a single cold or flu.”

Briar emphasizes that the classes foster a caring attitude and provide opportunities for making new friends. During the class, I certainly felt a sense of community while interacting with fellow participants, chatting in gibberish, laughing together, shaking hands, and even sharing hugs.

For many people, human contact is scarce in today’s modern world, and platonic expressions of affectionate friendship can be notably therapeutic.

Barbara, a 66-year-old retiree, stumbled upon the group while walking on the beach one morning. She describes her first class and the subsequent five classes each week she has attended over the past two years as a joy. They have brought her “health, happiness, and a sense of purpose.”

“Being around happy people is always a benefit,” she adds during a lull in the chuckling.

Fake It ‘Til You Make It

As the class progresses, I find it increasingly challenging to keep up the laughter—at times, I have to confess I’m faking it. Yet, Briar assures that’s perfectly fine.

“Laugh anyway, even if it feels forced or fake, and be sure to maintain eye contact with the other participants,” advises Briar. “Usually, within five minutes, the inhibitions evaporate, and the students begin to laugh heartily and authentically.”

Laughing also helps focus on breath, which is a key component of yoga practice. Each class concludes with a relaxation session, enhanced by the sand between our toes and the stunning Laguna Beach ocean view to meditate upon.

During the warm-down, I feel exhausted yet euphoric—an emotional state reminiscent of a delightful night out with friends, accompanied by the feeling of being slightly light-headed. My sides and jaw ache from laughter, but I also feel grateful for having started my day in such a positive, albeit slightly strange, way.

Laughter yoga provides a unique opportunity to momentarily escape negativity, set aside ego, and rediscover the simple joy of laughter in our cynical times. However, could I imagine my fellow, famously reserved Brits practicing it daily—perhaps on the morning Tube ride to work? That would indeed be a sight to behold.

Five Laughter Yoga Classes to Try Around the World

1. California, USA: The friendly and welcoming Laguna Laughter Club meets on the sand at the northernmost end of Main Beach daily at 8 am (10 am on Saturdays). More info: lyinstitute.org

2. Bangalore, India: Laughter yoga originated in India and has gained incredible popularity. In Bengaluru alone, over 200 classes are available. However, the original class, still offered at the Laughter Club International Headquarters, remains the best. This is the ideal location to learn laughter as a form of meditation. More info: laughteryoga.org

3. Ottawa, Canada: Participate in laughter yoga classes available in Canada’s capital city, where four different leaders operate sessions throughout the week. More info: laughtercapital.com

4. St Albans, UK: Laughter yoga has found a small but passionate following in the UK. The Laughter Club International in St Albans, north of London, meets monthly on the first Sunday and charges a small fee that goes to charity. More info: unitedmind.co.uk

5. Gambettola, Italy: Saturday classes in the commune of Gambettola, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, focus on laughter yoga as a means to combat stress and welcome people of all ages, including children. More info: laurastudio.it