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IS LAUGHTER THE BEST MEDICINE FOR THE MODERN WOMAN?

According to Audrey Hepburn, an iconic role model for the modern woman who lived a life of luxury and glamour that most can only dream of, the key to a fulfilling existence is not an Academy Award, diamonds, or even a million dollar man, but laughter.

The 1950s actress and humanitarian once famously said, “I love people who make me laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It is the most important thing in a person.”

Though generations have regarded Hepburn’s every word as gospel, proclamations of the benefits of laughter hardly seem to resonate with the stress-filled, bustling lives of the modern young woman. Since Hepburn’s prime in the 1950s, life has hardly been a laughing matter. The re-introduction of women into the workforce and return to secondary education systems have placed great pressures than ever on women to excel in their professional and personal aspirations. Overwhelmed by a multitude of demands, ranging from part-time work, to relationships, from the demands society places on us to those we place on our self, it is hard to see where laughter fits in into our time-constrained schedules.

NSW-based Laughter Therapist Rachel Wade begs to differ.

“I believe laughter is an innate need within us all, and it’s important for everyone to receive laughter in their lives”.

Wade is a young, successful, professionally-driven woman who has made a career out of helping women distress by having a bit of a giggle through her work in a growing holistic discipline based on the physiological benefits of laughter on the human body.

Laughter therapy or yoga, the brainchild of Indian physician Dr Madam Kataria, involves a combination of non-humour based exercises and deep breathing yoga techniques aimed at promoting relaxation and happiness amongst participants. The practise doesn’t require it’s enthusiastic to be comedians; it even discourages the use of comedy and jokes as the dominance of egoism and judgement that these declarations of status entail distract from the simple joy of laughing.

A typical session 40 minute session can range from spontaneous laughter sessions to positive affirmation work and relaxation through breathing exercises and meditation. And you don’t even have to be happy. As founder Dr Kataria discovered, the body cannot differentiate between general mirth and fake laughter. Research with his students has shown that the same state of jubilance can be achieved through the simulation of laughter, faking it til you make it as it were, the perfect discipline for stressed out, glass-half-full sceptics.

Beyond its accessibility to women more likely to scream than shriek with laughter, Wade believes the discipline is beneficial not only in its instantaneous gratification, but in the long term benefits it can have on women’s lives.

“Laughing openly in a group can be confronting for some, but the intention is to create a space where women can come together and enjoy sharing positive experiences. The stress of life can be countered in part by laughter because it is so natural and good for us.”

Despite the psychological basis of laughter therapy, those who actively get the giggles might have the last laugh when it comes to their health, as laughter has a myriad of beneficial implications for committed chucklers. Laughter actively lowers anxiety by limiting the production of the stress-inducing hormone cortical and enhancing the production of feel-good endorphins which improves concentration and memory. Laughter is also linked to improved function of the lymphatic system, simultaneously improving circulation and strengthening the immune system through the cleansing of the lungs using deep breathing and generating a sense of wellbeing . Furthermore, the actively control of breathing patterns during laughter yoga are linked with improved respiratory function, which is intrinsically linked with stress. Deep breathing through the diaphragm activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which works directly against the internal triggers of stress and anxiety.

If the scientific indicators aren’t enough, the worldwide is an eye opener to the wonderful benefits that laughter can have on people as a group. The trend is clearly as infectious as its benefits, as what began in India as a group of 5 with Dr. Kataria in 1995 has grown to a global movement with more than 50 groups in NSW, beyond 5000 worldwide in 55. There is even a designated World Laughter Day.

Wade says that ultimately the overwhelming positivity generated through her work is a reminder of the importance of taking time out in our busy life to work on our own happiness on a daily basis.

“Laughter is a natural process that is so good for us. Sharing positive experiences together are just some of the many options available to people.”

And if it takes only 17 muscles to smile, and 43 to frown, how could Audrey Hepburn have ever been wrong?