Laughter is the best medicine
As a mom and exercise enthusiast, Stacy Sylvester of Grafton had enjoyed dance and yoga, but when asked if interested about “Laughter Yoga,” she jumped at the opportunity to learn more. “I thought, ‘this sounds like it could be fun’ and I knew I had to check this out,” recalls Sylvester. “I thought it would be similar to other yoga classes I’ve attended, but I was wrong…and pleasantly surprised.”
“A lot of people come in to see what this is all about, and often times, once they come, they’re hooked, “ said Cyndy Solliday-McRoy, PhD, a psychologist with Wheaton Franciscan Medical Group and Certified Laughter Yoga Leader. “When we laugh, our bodies release hormones & chemicals that have startling positive effects on our entire system.”
The class combines yoga breathing and laughter. The hour-long class is divided into three stages, starting with a “grounding” exercise, similar to more traditional yoga offerings. Here, participants are asked to clear their minds and focus on the exercise. Next, participants are then asked to find a partner, make eye-contact with them and act out a “pose” or scenario that simulates laughter. Students then rotate partners for 20 minutes conducting the same exercise. Finally, the class closes with an instructor-guided meditation.
“A 20-minute laughter session can have a huge impact on one’s health and wellbeing,” Solliday-McRoy explains. “Laughter is a gentle way to fill your lungs and body with oxygen and exercises your lungs.” Solliday-McRoy indicates Laughter Yoga, like its more traditional counterpart, helps reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and helps fight depression.
“It boosts your immune system, and it’s amazing to see the effects laughter can have on people of all ages and all stages of health,” she said.
“The laughter is infectious,” says Sylvester, who regularly attends Solliday-McRoy’s class. “The more you simulate laughing, the more ‘real’ it becomes… and it becomes a workout! It’s amazing how much you sweat afterwards.”
Laughter Yoga was founded in 1995 by Dr. Madan Kataria and is now practiced in more than 5,000 countries. After becoming certified to teach the course, Solliday-McRoy started the class through Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare last fall, and now has a steady following of roughly 70 participants. She’s also is getting requests from local churches and community groups.
“The word is getting out there, and people are really interested in trying it out,” said Sollliday-McRoy, “after all, all you’ve got to lose is laughter.”