Laugh to live: Laughing yoga is good medicine - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

As you walk into the "Living Spirit" in Florence, your senses perk up!  Laughter radiates from the walls and floors. All this laughter is no joking matter.

"Laughter is actual aerobic exercise. It has many benefits, from lowering your blood pressure to increasing your heart rate - boosting the immune system," said Marquetta Newell, the certified laughter yoga leader. 

It reportedly relaxes the muscles, reduces stress and even improves your mood. But what if you're in no mood to laugh, but you still want the benefits?

"We fake it until we make it. Our bodies can't tell the difference between fake laughter and real laughter. We get the positive benefits from the fake laughter, and it doesn't take long to just roll with the real laughter," said Newell.

There are very specific exercises which take the class from a giggle to a chuckle to a belly laugh.

Newell describes how the exercises work as she calls directions to the group.

"A hand shake as we go around the room, we make eye contact, helps the laughter flow more freely," she giggled.

"Another fun interactive is the penguin walk," said Newell as she mimics a penguin, cackling laughter all the while.

There's even a mechanism for when to stop.

These laughing exercises seem to strike the funny bone for participants like Camille Bennett.   

"...and it worked for my husband as well, and he's very straight laced. He practiced it and loved it," said Bennett.

Josh Ryan Gwin agreed. 

"It was a little awkward at first to come and hear everybody laughing, but you know, eventually it just got freed up," said Gwin.

Jonathan Dunlap is a regular Yoga participant. 

"Yoga, traditionally, is about connecting the mind, the body and the spirit. And laughing releases the serotonin, the endorphins in our mind. It helps connect all that. It helps us get in touch with our higher self," said Dunlap.

There are reported to be 5,000 groups doing laughter yoga every day.   At the end of class is value based laughter.

The goal is joy, good health, and world peace - proving laughter really can be the best medicine for your health.

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