Laughter Well-being / Laughter Yoga / Laughter Therapy
“Laughter serves as a blocking agent. Like a bulletproof vest, it may help protect you against the ravages of negative emotions that can assault you in disease.”- Norman Cousins
What are the benefits of prolonged laughter?
Natural laughter usually lasts 3-5 seconds. But 50 years of medical and scientific research shows that people get proven health benefits when laughter occurs continuously for 15 minutes. Laughter well-being aids stress management, provides uplifting playfulness and assists with creating a positive mental attitude. Laughter sessions are health-boosting as they provide a natural form of exercise and release feel-good hormones to aid mental and physical health.
What is involved in a session of laughter with Sam?
There are no yoga positions—the word yoga refers to the healthy breathwork that occurs naturally with prolonged laughter.
The laughter well-being session is run with zero jokes, using proven group exercises. It is suitable for ALL, including those who need to remain seated—each session is tailored to the group, with or without movement and appropriate for all abilities and ages.
Techniques are demonstrated in clear, easy steps so that they can be understood by everyone. Sam has experience supporting laughter with individuals with additional needs, including dementia, autism, brain injuries, partial sight and loss of speech, those with limited mobility and individuals in hospice/end of life care.
Sam’s sessions make it easy for ALL to laugh—each one is individually designed to work with the current energy and participation levels shown.
Relaxation techniques are practiced in between the laughter for stress management and increased mental health. These well-being techniques can also be used post-session, at the desk or at home. The strategies are fast, short, practical, and backed by science.
Natural laughter is invited and lengthened. Easy exercises bring a playful element, which helps you to gain a respite from the thinking brain and move more toward the creative brain, allowing relaxation and greater calm.
Each session is highly facilitated to ensure that laughter is invited. Those who cannot laugh as much, do still report that they can smile, soften, and access laughter later.
Most people report feeling energised, more relaxed and surprised how good they feel from belly laughter. People usually report that they slept wonderfully afterward!
Sam is a professional Laughter Facilitator and has delivered laughter workshops for workplaces and coaching for individuals for over five years. She has worked with people from diverse backgrounds to draw out their innate strengths and increase their self-confidence. She is the author of the book Laugh More: Soar in Your Health, Career and Relationships, which is available in print or on Kindle, Apple Books and Audible.
Here is Sam doing a laughter yoga session at The Anderida Practice: 100 seconds watch