• Harshita Ahuja
• Dr. Komal Rai

Abstract: The use of laughter as medicine is not novel. Norman Cousins’ swift recovery from ankylosing spondylitis as attributed to laughter aroused scientific community’s curiosity in therapeutic laughter. Laughter Yoga is one way of exploiting the therapeutic value of laughter. Laughter Yoga is a form of exercise that involves prolonged voluntary laughter. Laughter yoga’s positive effect lies in its ability to facilitate deep breathing which is highly unlikely under stress wherein we hardly utilize lungs full capacity for oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange. This paper presents a narrative review to discuss the benefaction of laughter yoga in health and well-being if any. Keywords used for literature review were laughter yoga, laughter therapy, impact of laughter on health, positive impact of laughter. Electronic abstract databases and the internet and reference lists of all identified papers were searched and papers from only indexed journals were selected. Review is arranged thematically and chronologically (within a theme) and studies focusing on application of laughter yoga (laughter therapy) both in medical and non-medical setting for health and well-being have been included. Studies reviewed reflect Laughter Yoga’s great potential with both physiological and psychological benefits. Most of the studies report promising results in spite of stark differences in time duration of intervention (ranging from single session to multiple sessions). Studies reviewed provide a good concoction by measuring both psychological and physiological markers of health and well-being thus giving a comprehensive account.

Keywords- Laughter Yoga; Health Psychology; Well-being;

"Laughter is The Best Medicine! Laughing Stock or Worth A Talk? A Review", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 11, page no.77-89, November 2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIRDS06012.pdf

"Laughter is The Best Medicine! Laughing Stock or Worth A Talk? A Review", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 11, page no. pp77-89, November 2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIRDS06012.pdf