Do you want to live a happier life? Try laughing for no reason. That's how many people start their day at Laughter Yoga (瑜伽) Clubs around the world, and many doctors now think that having a good laugh might be one of the best ways to stay healthy.
The first Laughter Yoga Club was started in Mumbai, India, in 1995 by Dr Madan Kataria. "Young children laugh about 300 times a day. Adults (成人) laugh between 7 and 15 times a day, "says Dr Kataria. "Everyone's naturally good at laughing. We want people to feel happy with their lives. "
A study at the UCLA School of Medicine in California shows that laughter reduces stress (减缓压力) and is very good for the heart. Laughter Yoga is used in many hospitals for th illness treatment (疾病治疗) and it is also practiced in schools, factories and old people's homes.
So, what is Laughter Yoga? I went to my nearest Laughter Club to find out. I was quite nervous about it. I didn't like the idea of laughing with others. First, our laughter teacher told us to clap our hands and say, "ho ho ho, ha ha ha. He said our bodies can't tell the difference between fake laughter and real laughter, so they both work. After ten minutes everybody in the room was laughing for real! We did different kinds of laughter exercises and finally I was surprised by how relaxed I felt.
So if you're upset about something, just start laughing. As Dr Kataria says, "When you laugh, you change, and when you change, the world changes around you. "
a. Nervous. b. Surprised. c. Upset. d. Relaxed.
