Do you want to live a happier, less stressful life? Try laughing for no reason at all. That's how thousands of people start their day at Laughter Clubs around the world and many doctors now think that having a good ax laugh might be one of the best ways to stay healthy.
The first Laughter Club was started in Mumbai, India, in 1995 by Dr. Madan Kataria. "Young children laugh about 300 times a day. Adults laugh between 7 and 15 times a day, "says Dr. Kataria. "Everyone's naturally good at laughing-it's the universal language. We want people to feel happy with their lives. " There are now more than 500 Laughter Clubs in India and over 1, 303 worldwide.
Many doctors in the West are also interested in the effects of laughter on our health. According to a 5-year study at the UCLA School of Medicine in(California, laughter reduces stress in the body, improves our defenses against illness by about 40% and is very good for the heart.
So, what happens at a Laughter Club? I went along to my nearest club in south London to find out. I was quite nervous about it, to be honest-I wasn't keen on the idea of laughing with a group of strangers, and I was worried about looking stupid. First, our laughter teacher told us to clap our hands and say "ho ho ho, ha ha ha," while looking at each other. Apparently our bodies can't tell the difference between fake laughter and real laughter, so still produce the same healthy chemicals.
Amazingly, it works. After ten minutes everybody in the room was laughing for real-and some people just couldn't stop！At the end of the class I was surprised by how relaxed and calm I felt. So if you're upset about something at work or just fed up with your daily routine, then start laughing. You might be very pleased with the results！
