Euro MedNews

The healing effects of laughter

Vienna, 14 April 2004 – Laughter exerts a number of positive effects on the laugher, on both psychological and physiological levels. To use these healing effects towards improving mental and physical health, Dr. Madan Kataria, a physician from India, invented in 1995 a special yoga-based laughing technique, called Hasya yoga. In these so-called “laugh clubs”, intentional and unprovoked laughter is combined with conventional Hatha yoga breathing exercises to improve mood and to relax the muscles. Since there are no obvious negative effects associated with laughter, Hasya yoga has become an acknowledged worldwide supporting measure in cancer therapies and palliative treatments. Since 2002, Hasya yoga therapists in Germany have been aiming to increase awareness of the healing effects of laughter in the medical community and the general public. Recently, Prof. Dr. Ilona Papousek at the Institute of Psychology at the University of Graz in Austria has begun a pilot study to analyse the effects of laughter on stroke patients. She has found that the patients engaged in Hasya yoga training have lower blood pressure than patients in exercise therapy, and has hypothesised that yoga probably provides more effective stress reduction. It is currently planned to study the effects of laughter on the daily school routine by offering laughter therapy to teachers and pupils.

Source: Ärztewoche (Austria)
Reference: Ärztewoche,18. Jg., Nr. 14, 2004
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