I am a generally curious person. Some might say (and some have actually said) I even tend to be a little on the “nosy” side. That basic curiosity often comes in handy, especially with my job. That same curiosity often leads me to explore the interweb for information on random topics. A little while back, I found myself asking Mr. Google for natural ways to lower cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone found in the body that helps in “fight or flight” situations. It is often tied to stress and can be helpful if you ever have to fight or flight away from some impending threat. On the down side, too much cortisol can make you fat. Since I don’t really plan on utilizing the fight or flight option any time soon, I figured some attempts to lower cortisol levels may be in order.
Among the practical suggestions I found, such as breathing exercises, some physical exercise to get moving, getting enough sleep, etc., there was one item that really caught my attention. I found an article on “laughing yoga.” I didn’t know there was such a thing, but apparently there is. But then, I didn’t know there was such a thing as “goat yoga,” either.
Now, if you can imagine me going to a yoga class in yoga pants, the class will certainly turn into a laughing yoga class, whether it was intended that way or not. But the vision of me in yoga pants aside (if you can get that image out of your mind), I can see benefits to the idea of laughing yoga. With the relaxation techniques inherent in yoga and the promotion of intentional laughter, stress levels would likely be lowered. It might carry its own challenges, though. I would probably find it difficult to chuckle while attempting to master the “backward folding grasshopper” pose.
Regardless if you are bending into various pretzel shapes or not, laughter has been proven to improve health. Science has shown that laughter helps to release what are often called “happy” hormones such as dopamine and serotonin. Laughter can also help suppress stress hormones, such as cortisol, which can lead to a better mood, reduced pain, lower blood pressure, a strengthened immune system and more.
So, go ahead and laugh, it’s good for you. If you happen to be in a yoga class and someone has a goat on their back, go ahead and laugh at them, too. If anyone says anything, just tell them you are practicing “laughing yoga.”