Reducing stress through laughter.

Laughter yoga is the fastest growing health and fitness system in the world, spreading to more than 50 countries in just 10 years. So says the founder of laughter yoga, Indian medical doctor Madan Kataria, who is visiting New Zealand this month.

Kataria, called the Guru of Giggling by the Times of London, ran a two-day training weekend for potential laughter yoga leaders at Auckland's Ponsonby Laughter Club earlier this month. The club is run by New Zealand instructor, registered clinical psychologist Malcolm Robertson who was trained by Kataria to bring laughter yoga to New Zealand. Robertson has had 15 years' experience working in public and private mental health care both here and in Australia.

"Laughter is the best medicine for stress," said Robertson. "Children laugh 300-400 times a day during their important formative years, but adult laughter has reduced to just five to 10 times a day. We all need to learn to laugh more, but laughter is especially important for people who are stressed. Laughter yoga approaches laughter as a body exercise, so it's easy to laugh even if you're depressed or in a bad mood."

Laughter yoga combines laughter with yogic breathing exercises to provide one-hour workout sessions that include 30 minutes of laughter. It is also known as 'instant yoga' as it provides results in days that can take years to achieve in posture yoga.

Robertson believes sustained hearty laughter has a wide range of both mental and physical health benefits. "Laughter provides an aerobic workout that exercises the heart, diaphragm, abdominal, intercostal, respiratory and facial muscles. Workouts include flexing and exercise of the arm, leg, and back muscles. Twenty minutes of hearty laughter is equivalent to 10 minutes on an exercise bike."

Laughter yoga is practised in more than 5000 social laughter clubs around the world and is now being offered commercially in yoga and fitness centres, aged-care facilities, schools, hospitals, business and government offices, says Robertson.

"Scientific studies show that laughter boosts the body's oxygen and energy levels and also boosts levels of immune cells that attack cancer, infection and viruses. Laughter releases endorphins, a natural pain killer that is responsible for the 'runner's high'.

"Laughter is used in hospitals around the world to speed healing and improve patients' mental outlook. The therapy enables cancer patients to tolerate chemotherapy better and develop positive attitudes that help with recovery long-term. Laughter is also beneficial for older people, as it provides a gentle aerobic workout, boosts energy levels, maintains flexibility and helps to prevent depression."

For more information about laughter yoga training, see the website www.laughteryoga.org.