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In this The 3 Best Laughter Yoga Videos article I share with you my favorite free videos for learning why and how to do laughter yoga. This practice helps thousands of people rewire their brains for the health benefits.
Let’s quickly learn why laughter yoga is good for you, and then how to do it!
These quick videos make it fast and easy to start practicing laughter yoga regularly. Using these videos, you can start laughter yoga today!
Who benefits from Laughter Yoga
If you struggle with mood issues, like anxiety, depression, ruminating thoughts, negativity toward others or yourself or healing from trauma — you will likely benefit from laughter yoga.
Similarly, if you struggle with chronic health issues, such as skin issues, organ-related diseases, digestion problems or “autoimmune” diseases, you also will likely benefit.
Lastly, if you simply want to be the healthiest, most joyful version of yourself, this practice certainly expands the possibilities for that reality.
It’s encouraging to realize that so much of our health and happiness are linked to the patterns of our brain. By adding in more laughter, we truly improve many aspects of our health. And, we end up happier!
What is laughter yoga
Laughter yoga is defined by its creator, Dr. Madan Kataria, as a form of exercise, based on his assertion that our body and brain do not know if we’re actually laughing or pretending to laugh.
We get the same benefits:
- reduced stress
- strong immune system
- positive thoughts (elevated mood)
- change of perspective
- more oxygen for health, activated lungs
- happiness
In addition to simple activities that make you laugh, this exercise also includes very simple stretches, very simple breathing, clapping and making sounds like: “Ho, ho, ha, ha, ha”. You’ve got to try it to see how well it works.
All of the methods are modeled on YouTube, and viewers (like you and me), simply mirror the method as we follow along.
Do the exercises along with a video each time you practice, or learn the methods, and then do them on your own: You choose.
Why was this method developed
Dr. Madan Kataria observed the health benefits of laughter. He also observed that children laugh all the time. Why is that?, he asked himself. The answer is: Because they play.
And so he developed playful interactions for adults to facilitate laughter — to bring about the health benefits, without sources of comedy.
It’s a like a kindergarten club for grown-ups, he says, and then laughs … the best medicine!
How long do you need to laugh
To get the benefits, Dr. Kataria recommends 10 to 15 minutes.
But, I can share from personal experience, that even 5 minutes daily is hugely transformative!
Whenever we are exposed to stress, we can shift our focus to a laughter yoga video, and completely take control of our health.
We can’t leave our mental or physical health to chance: Will I encounter stress today? Will something make me laugh?
Instead, it is likely stress will present itself, and I am choosing to maintain (or create) healthy brain activity! Whether I encounter stress or not (but it’s essential if I do), I will laugh!
My body goes from producing cortisol (if I encounter stress) to producing dopamine and serotonin! And the stress is actually forgotten. This approach to mental and physical health is incredibly powerful, empowering and freeing!
It just feels so good to feel good! 😉
What are mirror neurons
Lastly, before I share the videos!, What are mirror neurons?
Mirror neurons respond to behavior that we see in others.
A form of empathy, whether we watch someone laugh or imitate them, sophisticated thought processes begin to change our brains.
In terms of laughter yoga, when we see someone else laughing, it makes us more likely to laugh. When we join in, our brains become happier, actually mimicking the emotion we observe in someone else!
Watching laughter yoga videos and following along actually makes us happier and our brains healthier.
THE THREE BEST LAUGHTER YOGA VIDEOS
One qualification for me to include a video in this article was: I wanted it to be ad-free (once the video starts). No exercise video is helpful, especially mentally, if we’re interrupted midway with a sales pitch. So enjoy the three following videos, and learning how to practice laughter yoga, without ads.
#1 Best Laughter Yoga Video
This LYV is my all-time favorite. While simple, the video is completely instructive on how to do laughter yoga. It provides three easy to remember exercises to do while you watch, as well as later. What I love most about this video, though, is the lady (Linda)! I can’t even begin to watch her without smiling and laughing. She is just charming and lovely in all the right ways that a laughter yoga instructor should be, with real world laughter shining out from her. She says, “I’m no longer a prisoner of something because I am able to laugh … it’s still there, but it’s less in my face.” If you’re feeling down or stuck, watch this video to get your “mirror neurons” working for you!
#2 Best Laughter Yoga Video
Oh my, get ready for some fun. This Bollywood Dance with Yoga Laughter video is led by Dr. Kataria himself, and a team of dancers. The dances are very easy and low impact. They include breathing, movement, laughter and the usual “ho, ho, ha, ha” fun. This eleven minute video is a great length for daily mood boosting and movement. I love that this video does not have any ads, despite being on the longer side.
#3 Best Laughter Yoga Video
This video includes an Old Testament Bible verse affirmation. Led by a resilient woman who overcame health challenges in part by producing DOSE hormones (Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, Endorphins), she leads a lovely series of laughter yoga exercises. Each of them is unique and different from the more commonly practiced and demonstrated videos. She’s someone with whom it’s easy to laugh along.
How to practice yoga laughter without a video
I liked doing the following exercises on my own, after first watching and learning from videos.
Get the hang of it by imitating others, and being inspired.
Then try these.
Here are five ways to start laughter yoga without a video:
1. Greeting laughter
Press palms together at the upper chest, then walk around to different people (or pretend people if you’re practicing on your own), and laugh as you greet them. Be sure to look into their eyes, and if you wish, shake hands as you laugh.
2. Humming laughter
Close mouth, and do a humming laugh.
3. Silent laughter
Open your mouth widely, and laugh without any sound. If you wish, add in funny gestures, and look into other people’s eyes (or pretend people if you’re practicing on your own).
4. Gradient laughter
Start with a smile, then gradually increase to a gentle chuckle. Increase the laugh’s intensity until you’re laughing heartily. Phase the laugh down similarly from the hearty laugh to a smile.
5. Heart-to-heart laughter
If you’re in a group or with one other person, move close to each other, then hold hands, and laugh. If it feels comfortable, stroke hands as you laugh, or hug.
Other laughter yoga videos I enjoy or find helpful
- I love the lady who hosts this video. She has a natural joy about her that’s contagious. She introduces what laughter yoga is, provides some basic information about it’s purpose, and provides three exercises that can be repeated daily. She also shares clapping. All in 5 quick happy minutes.
- This video is helpful as an overview of how to do the practice from the Laughter Yoga creator himself. You can see him work with clients, and what group laughter yoga looks like.
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