Laughing and yoga work together - 26th August 2022

Everyone enjoys laughing. A doctor from Mumbai, India, says laughing is healthy too. Doctor Madan Kataria uses laughing and yoga together.

Madan Kataria: "When you laugh, your immune system gets stronger, you don't fall sick so you're more healthy. Laughing together with other people we become happy."

Dr Kataria mixes two kinds of exercises. One's for laughing. The other's a yoga exercise for breathing. Together, this is "laughter yoga".

Madan Kataria: "Laughter yoga is a unique concept where anyone can laugh without using jokes, humour or comedies. We laugh as an exercise, combined with the breathing techniques from yoga that brings more oxygen that makes you more healthy and happy."

At one laughter yoga group in Bali, Indonesia, there were 11,000 people. Some travelled a long way.

Elke Seesing's from Germany. She knows laughing is good for her.

Elke Seesing: "If you are laughing that happens a lot in your body, a lot of hormones get in action, you're feeling better, everything rises, and it makes you a better mood."

Scientists in India and the US say laughing works. It makes people feel relaxed. It stops people feeling unhappy and upset.

Dr Kataria says you can help yourself. You just start laughing and then you feel better. You can learn to laugh at difficult times. You need to practise 10-15 mins every day.

Lilis Wardani is a housewife. She says it really helps her.

Lilis Wardani: "Now my mind is wide open, even during the most difficult situation. Everything feels easier to bear and I become more easy-going to live my life with my family."

One reporter asked Ms Seesing to laugh for him.

Journalist: "One last question, can you laugh?"