Laugh for ten minutes each day, both for its health benefits, and to develop the habit of “laughing for no reason,” bringing more joy into your life and the whole world.

In 1979 Norman Cousins published a book “Anatomy of an Illness” in which he described a potentially fatal disease he contracted in 1964 and his discovery of the benefits of humour and other positive emotions, in battling it. He found, for example, that ten minutes of mirthful laughter gave him two hours of pain-free sleep. His story baffled the scientific community and inspired a number of research projects.

Norman Cousins (June 24, 1915 – November 30, 1990) was an American political journalist, author, professor, and world peace advocate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Cousins

Date: May 30, 2011

Subject: Developing a Laughter Habit

It has been said that if one repeats a new behavior for 42 days in a row, it will become a permanently established habit. Even if you miss a day from time to time, you will benefit from having a goal.

A kitchen timer is a handy tool. Set it for ten minutes, and be amazed at how quickly the minutes pass as you ”work out.” Remember that you are not alone! Somewhere in this world, other Laughter Yoga practitioners are laughing with you. Imagine them, and imagine friends and family as you “take your Laughter Medicine” for the day.

Do the laughter cheer, HOHO HAHAHA for one minute, followed by the Aloha exercise where you  breathe in through your nose while stretching your arms above your head and breathe out laughing Alo……hahahahahaha,  as you lower your arms. Then choose five laughter exercises, interspersing them with more breathing/ stretching ones. Congratulate yourself after each one with the Laughter Yoga cheer -  “Very good, very good, Yeaaaaah!”

A favourite Laughter exercise I like to do is the Tarzan Yell and Laugh, which is great for boosting the immune system and helping to clear your respiratory system.

Another one I like to do is Laughing for NO Reason, real easy, just laugh, followed by Cell Phone Laughter, Milkshake Laughter and finally Positive Self Messaging (“I’m great, I’m wonderful, I’m fantastic, I’m beautiful, I’m funny”) These exercises help dump stress and anxiety.

Remember to include deep breathing in between your laughter exercises. One of the creative ways of making the seniors do it is to pick up a flower, take a long inhaling smell and a long ‘haaaa’ exhale.

By developing a habit of laughing everyday you’ll find you are more prone to frequent outbursts and episodes of overwhelming ecstasy and appreciation for people and life.