Laughter therapy. The most effective exercises

Some studies show that we laugh less and less: in 1939, the average European laughed an average of 19 minutes a day. Now his son and grandson laugh only 5-6 minutes a day. This is very little. My dear peers, let's get down to business! Our serenity and health depend on it!

Gelotherapy

Laughter therapy has a completely scientific name, but this hardly makes it any more serious! Laughter therapy can be used regardless of age. The most famous technique belongs to Norman Cousins.

This man worked as a journalist until he was struck by a serious illness: severe spondyloarthritis, a form of paralysis considered incurable. But he recovered and became a professor at the University of California at Los Angeles, where he taught at medical college.

Norman Cousins has always been distinguished by his extraordinary love of life. Even when the disease completely weakened him, his desire to fight did not diminish at all. Tired of stuffing himself with anti-inflammatory and painkillers, he decided to take care of his health himself. First, Cousins studied his case carefully. Then, under the supervision of a doctor, he compiled his own treatment regimen: vitamin C in large doses, comedy films and funny stories. He reasoned simply: if stress and negative emotions aggravate destructive processes in the body, then positive emotions, on the contrary, should cause positive chemical changes.

After several comedies and many books with good jokes he was convinced of the correctness of his reasoning: “I was pleased to discover that 10 minutes of hearty laughter had an anesthetic effect (calmed the pain) and gave at least two hours of restful sleep.” After several years of such treatment, Norman became fully mobile and began playing golf, tennis and even horseback riding.

Of course, this case can be called unique, but it proves that everything is possible in life.

Laughter is a positive communication necessary for harmonious aging; it is the transmission of “waves” from the emitter (the object or person that causes laughter) to the receiver (the one who laughs).

And for laughter to be useful, it is important that it arises under positive circumstances both for the one who causes laughter and for the one who laughs. No one can force themselves to laugh sincerely, so it is clear how important the mood of the emitter is for the laughter to be healthy and joyful.

Some people seem more gifted than others at the art of causing laughter. They are always in a cheerful mood and are open to others, wanting to convey joy to them, good mood, sympathy. Their behavior is simple and direct, since “those who seek metaphysical causes of laughter do not themselves have a cheerful disposition,” as Voltaire once noted.

The smile of an elderly man, ready to laugh at any second, testifies to his excellent mood, which he can convey to others.

Smile

A smile costs nothing, but brings so much good! It enriches the one who receives it, without impoverishing the one who gives it.

It lasts only a moment, but the memory of it is eternal. No one considers himself rich enough to do without it, and poor enough to beg for her.

A smile is rest for a weary traveler, courage for a discouraged one and sympathy for a grieving soul. This is a real antidote that nature has reserved as a remedy for all suffering. A smile creates happiness in the family and provides support in work.

She is a special sign of friendship.

And at the same time, it cannot be bought, borrowed, or stolen, since it has value only when it is given...

And if one day you meet a person who does not want to give you his smile, although you deserve it, smile back at him, because no one else needs a smile more than the one who does not know how to give it.

Believe me, my brothers in age, that laughter and a smile help us, despite the years, to feel better mentally and physically, change our character for the better and receive from others what we can also give to them.

A smile is an integral part healthy image Life. Since the biochemical revolution brought about by laughter, fun and smiling that I talked about above has the same positive effect on the body as a good gymnastics session, smile!

I often advise older people who come to me complaining that they live in an atmosphere of misunderstanding to become the center of joy for their family. Over time, their smile and goodwill endear them not only to their family and friends, but also sometimes strangers in need of positive emotions. And how happy children are if their grandparents are cheerful and friendly! They have in their minds an image of adults moving easily through life, despite problems and adversity. This is also the responsibility of old people - to pass on an important truth to the younger generation: life does not have to be dull and joyless, it is quite possible to go through it with a smile on your lips.

Physiology of laughter

Laughter is a series of small intermittent exhalations as a result of involuntary contraction of the diaphragm. In this case, some muscles come into tension, while others relax, causing a state of rest. At the same time, sharply exhaled air affects vocal cords, and we make the sounds characteristic of laughter “ha-ha-ha!” This reflex can have many reasons: an intellectual stimulus (a joke, funny scene or image) or physical (tickling), inhalation of a substance with a cheerful effect (nitric oxide) or even illness (for example, schizophrenics are obsessed with fits of laughter, inadequate and uncontrollable). Agree, it is quite difficult to find something in common between all these reasons.

The definition of laughter offered by the dictionary is too laconic and only affects visible signs: “...showing a sense of fun through characteristic movements lips, mouth and accompanied by intermittent sounds." Try to laugh at this gloomy definition!

It has been established that laughter is localized somewhere in the region of the human heart, but this place is very difficult to establish. Writer and physician François Rabelais once said that “laughter is an inherent quality of man”; “And sometimes, perhaps, to an animal,” added the poet Alain Fauquet.

The words of Rabelais also echo the definition of Jules Renard, who believes that “humor is an everyday spiritual property of the mind.” To all of the above, we can add the statement of Dr. Rubinstein, to which, I think, many modern doctors will join: “Laughter is a necessary conductor from illness to health; by indicating crossings, directions, intersections and detours, it will help you find the right path.”

Healing power laughter

The ancient Roman physician Galen argued that cheerful women recover much faster than sad ones. We can easily apply this statement to men, regardless of the era in which they live. In the 13th century, the famous surgeon Henri de Mondeville proposed healing with joy. “The surgeon,” he said, “must forbid his patient to be angry, hate and be sad, constantly reminding him that the body is strengthened in joy and weakened in melancholy.”

Do you know what happens in our body when we laugh? Do you know that it is precisely at this moment that even in a body worn out by years, worries and work, a delightful turmoil arises that brings us great benefit?

Laughter clears and clears the upper respiratory tract, which helps relieve some asthma attacks and even helps cure emphysema. The release of saliva, gastric juice, increased peristalsis of the stomach and intestines, shaking of the liver, pancreas and bile ducts, as well as the lowering of the diaphragm as a result of laughter have a beneficial effect on our digestion. This gymnastics is great for warming up digestive tract, preventing constipation.

When we laugh, our attention scatters, our behavior changes, and this affects the chemical processes occurring in the brain, in particular, the production of endorphins is accelerated - hormones of happiness that relieve pain, nervousness, anxiety, stress and give great mood.

Laughter affects muscles, ranging from the muscles of the face to the muscles of the limbs, including the respiratory and abdominal muscles. This is a real “wave spreading throughout the body.”

It is curious that the center of laughter is located in the right hemisphere of the brain, because laughter is not caused by rational and logical thoughts, but by elements of general perception: emotional, imaginary, instinctive. We laugh spontaneously, and it is useless to try to explain or sort out a funny situation: it will lose it! all its comedy.

Why are we laughing?

Laughter has long been an inexhaustible topic of research, which for the most part turns out to be quite rational (remember what the attempt of linguists to define laughter led to). From Aristotle to Kant, from Spinoza to Baudelaire, including Darwin, Freud and Bergson, many scientists, philosophers, writers tried to take apart the truly magical mechanism of good, sincere fun.

Perhaps only Rabelais was not much closer to solving the great mystery. A mystery that seems to go back a long way: prehistoric man laughed in his cave before he could speak. He laughed, thereby informing his opponents that he was not afraid of them and did not hold any grudge against them.

So, everything fits: in long history a primitive creature of the human race, still almost an animal, becomes a man when he begins to laugh; and this laughter is associated with the emotion that arose in connection with the disappearance of danger. It's liberating laughter.

And the center of this emotion is in the most ancient part of the brain, which has remained unchanged since prehistoric times.

“We instinctively feel that laughter is a positive emotion,” Dr. Rubinstein emphasizes. “He is a witness to the primitive era, where the meaning of life was the survival of the race, the world was divided into black (danger and death) and white (absence of danger, joy and life).”

It leads to suicide, causes disability, and manifests itself in children and adults of any age. More than 300 million people suffer from it. When I learned these numbers, I realized that depression today is the No. 1 problem all over the world. Thousands of people are looking for how to get rid of depression, because this disease prevents them from enjoying life.

Through studying the psychology of humor, I realized that laughter and positive thinking can help most people cope with depression, overcome seasonal apathy and improve their emotional state. Let's figure out what laughter therapy (humor therapy) is and how the ability to joke can help get rid of many diseases.

Laughter therapy or a positive pill

“Stop giggling”, “Why are you neighing like a horse”, “Take that stupid smile off your face”... How many times in childhood, and maybe in adulthood, have you heard these phrases? Our parents and teachers have drilled into our heads the wrong perception of laughter. IN everyday life people laugh less and less because they control their emotions, observing the “bounds of decency” that no one needs. Every day people are under stress, controlling their emotions, words and actions.

How to get rid of depression with laughter

Now imagine the situation: you were fired from your job, your husband/wife left you, your child died, or close relative. These and other situations cause even more tension, nervous system can't stand it and depression develops.
Let me guess your thoughts: “What does laughter have to do with it?” It turns out that laughter can relieve tension. As a result, the pain that is in your heart is replaced with positive emotions and you feel relieved.

Laughter therapy or laughter treatment

That's why a special laughter treatment program appeared. Laughter therapy or gelotology is actively used in clinics in Japan, Germany and others. Western countries. In India, “Laughter Yoga” is actively used, which was invented by the doctor Madan Kataria. His exercises allow people to return healthy natural laughter. It turns out that the less often we laugh, the more likely we are to forget this skill.

Laughter therapy for depression: exercises

Laughter therapy usually takes place in a group, but you can try some exercises at home. Do each laughter therapy exercise for at least 2 minutes, then you can feel the tension being relieved.

Smile - the best remedy from depression

Exercise 1
Imagine you are talking on the phone. You can even pick up the phone and walk around the room. Decide in advance what color you will look for objects in the room. For example, white. As soon as you see the object with your eyes white, shout out the phrase “Ha-ha.”

Exercise 2
Take a piece of refined sugar and hold it between your front teeth. After that, go to the mirror. Your task is to laugh at your own appearance. If that doesn't work, put a few more pieces of sugar in your mouth.

Exercise 3
Actively walk around the room and perform some movements: swinging your arms, squats, bending. Every time you make a movement, shout out “Ho-ho.”

You can come up with some kind of exercise of your own, the main thing is that after it you relax and laugh.

Laughter therapy: video

I invite you to watch a video that will definitely make you laugh or smile.

Watch the video to see how laughter therapy sessions involve simulating laughter.

Laughter therapy: how to get rid of depression

If you are depressed, Bad mood, emotional exhaustion, do not rush to despair. You can get rid of all this without drugs.

Laughter therapy has many benefits, I will give you some of them:

Active production of happiness hormones.
Getting rid of fears, complexes and internal barriers.
Improved mood.
Treatment of depression and emotional disorders.
Receipt positive emotions after stressful situations or busy days.

People are prone to depression of different ages but they can all learn to laugh

On at the moment Two methods of laughter therapy are widely known:

Imitation of laughter. Laughter is caused by artificial breathing, motor exercises or through game situations.
Humor. Humor therapy is carried out by watching or listening to anecdotes, jokes, and comedians' performances.

If you want to help a person who suffers from depression, then you need to master the second method. Once you learn, you will become a great support for your friends and family. At the webinar “DNA OF HUMOR” I analyze the performances of American comedians, giving examples and schemes for constructing jokes. You can register for the next webinar right now and spend a couple of hours in a humorous atmosphere.

Humor therapy is a cure for diseases

It turns out that there are 4 types of sense of humor:

Affiliate
Aggressive
Self-stimulating
Self-deprecating.

Man with affiliative sense of humor has good self-esteem, makes friends quickly, rarely suffers from depressive disorders and is generally quite happy. His jokes are kind and harmless.

Aggressive sense of humor often found among rappers, and examples of such humor can be heard in rap battles. People with this type of personality use sarcastic expressions and often express offensive phrases towards others. It is not surprising that such people have very low emotional stability.

Sense of humor and depression

People with a self-stimulating sense of humor They are not afraid to face the truth and laugh at themselves, so they often tell funny stories from their own lives. All failures are ridiculed in a positive way, so in general such people are optimists, with high self-esteem. If you have a self-stimulating sense of humor, then depression is not your disease.

A person with self-deprecating humor He also jokes about himself, but a little wrong. Unlike the previous type, self-deprecating humor aims to evoke sympathy from the audience. As a result, a person with a self-deprecating sense of humor becomes an object of constant ridicule. Such people are emotionally unstable, have low self-esteem and are prone to depression.

Considering that this is not a gift from nature or a talent from birth. You can develop a sense of humor that will help you respond well to stress, improve your self-esteem and relieve depression. In trainings and webinars, I structure the program so that students develop a self-stimulating sense of humor, which will not only help them write great jokes, but also protect them from depression and emotional disorders.

Do you want to get rid of depression or just think positively always and everywhere? Fill out the form on and find out how to develop your sense of humor.

Laughter therapy is gradually conquering all countries of the world. It is already practiced both in prestigious clinics and by traditional healers.

Laughter therapy is especially popular in Japanese clinics. And in Germany there are clown doctors who come directly to patients’ rooms. Indian healers also included their repertoire - they created yoga based on laughter.

We have already talked about the principles on which laughter therapy is built. And today we will learn how to heal with its help.

Laughter therapy is like cleansing the body

Almost all human problems arise from internal tension, which accumulates gradually throughout life. These problems manifest themselves both at the physiological and mental levels. Accumulated tension interferes with the normal circulation of a person’s vital energy. And for human health it is very important to freely receive energy in the right quantity and just as freely give it away. Accordingly, in order to feel happy, a person must, first of all, get rid of the “pressures” accumulated since childhood.

The lightest and effective way do such a “cleaning” - . If not all internal tensions go away, then most of them will definitely disappear. Thus laughter therapy was born. Treatment with laughter therapy is not just fun and not only laughter.

This is a series of events harmoniously merged into a single program:

Latest jokes:

If you have only one tooth left in your mouth, rejoice - now you can clean it from all sides.

What are you drinking?
- The name consists of 2 animals. Cognac.
- How much do you drink?
- Swap the animals...

The husband watches the video and exclaims:
- Don't go there. Don't go, fool!
The wife asks:
- What are you looking at?
Husband:
- Our wedding.

The conductor at the bus stop shouts to the driver from the back of the bus:
- Kolya, wait, there’s a man running there!
After a couple of seconds:
- Kolya, let's go! I know him, he has a travel card.

Positive psychology 27.09.2015

Dear readers, today I invite everyone to relax a little and talk about laughter therapy. Let's have this pleasant treatment and take our minds off the hustle and bustle of life. He laughs best who... no, does not laugh last. Rather, the one who laughs a lot and often, bringing pleasure not only to his soul, but also to his body. Ask, what does the body have to do with it? It is precisely about Doctor Laughter as a professional physician that we will talk in this article. Well, let’s have fun and heal at the same time!

Probably, many will agree with me that nothing charges you with positivity and cheerfulness more than moments of sincere laughter in the company of friends or family. Admit it, have you noticed what mood you get after watching a good comedy or a funny show? You will laugh heartily, and then for several more hours you will feel elated and feel almost like flying. Great, right?

But it turns out that laughter can be used not only in everyday life and for idle pastime. Exists separate direction science - laughter therapy, or gelotology, which deals with laughter professionally.

Laughter therapy (gelotology). Laughter therapy is serious!

A little history

The science of laughter and its impact on a person’s physical and mental health - gelotology (from the Greek “gelos” - laughter) - originated in the USA in the 70s of the last century. Introduced her into official medicine American journalist Norman Cousins. Being bedridden, and, according to doctors, without one chance to recover, he decided to radically change his lifestyle.

Since Norman didn’t want to just give up and live out his days sadly, he began to have fun: he spent his days watching comedies, listening to jokes and funny stories and laughed uncontrollably. According to sources, after a week his pain stopped, and after another month he was able to move. Soon he began to walk and went to work.

Such an amazing story prompted scientists in Europe and America to direct their attention to studying the phenomenon of laughter and its influence on the human psyche. Gradually, laughter therapy emerged as a separate psychotherapeutic method.

On the territory post-Soviet space Gelotology has not yet found proper distribution. Also almost absent scientific research psychological aspect of laughter by domestic scientists. I would like to believe that this is it for now. And the time will come when in our country laughter will finally be taken seriously. However, practicing laughter at home is not at all prohibited and, as you may have guessed, it is very useful, even if this practice is unsystematic.

In addition, hospital clowning is gradually becoming widespread - visits from trained actors or ordinary people to children's hospitals. They come to the kids funny clowns, make them laugh, play with them, thereby at least a little, but alleviating their condition. Is this not enough?

An interesting fact is that there is a special branch of yoga – hasya yoga. Followers of this trend happily practice group laughter, combining it with traditional exercises.

Laughter therapy. Health Benefits

Meanwhile, research by foreign scientists has proven excellent health benefits of laughter , extending both to the human psyche and to his physical body. Chemically, this effect is explained by the fact that the so-called “hormones of happiness” - endorphins - produced during laughter have a strong beneficial effect on the immune, respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive system person.
It is our attitude towards life (whether we think positively or only see negativity) that affects our health, including our immunity. Laughter affects the part of the brain that responds to the Joy of Life.

From a psychological point of view , laughter helps release suppressed emotions. Psychologists know how difficult it is to “get close” to such painful feelings for a person as shame, fear, anger. Usually people prefer to hide them, deny them, not notice them. This habit is acquired in childhood with the light hand of parental attitudes “You can’t cry!”, “It’s a shame to act like that,” “Good children don’t behave so badly!” etc. Over time ex boys and the girls turn into adult uncles and aunts who do not allow themselves to be angry, to be angry, to be “uncomfortable”, not like everyone else. Under the cover of laughter, everyone is equal - both the prince and the pauper. The man returns to carefree childhood, temporarily removing the mask of invulnerability and immunity. Gradually, tensions and pressures are released from the body, and it literally becomes easier to breathe.

Also, the state of relaxation that follows the release of tension helps you look at the world with wide eyes. In such an even positive state of consciousness, a person becomes more receptive and flexible. By breaking his own attitudes that limit his thinking and worldview, he comes to the ability to introduce novelty into his life and find answers to previously insoluble or complex questions. This can be compared to, for example, reaching fresh air and suddenly notice that the limits of the Universe are not limited to your apartment or even the street. But in fact, there are still so many interesting, unknown, desirable things!

Who is laughter therapy suitable for?

What does the cheerful doctor treat? As the experience of the “pioneer” of laughter therapy Norman Cousins shows, Doctor Laughter is capable of working miracles even in seemingly hopeless situations. Of course no one denies drug treatment, especially in severe cases, but still experience foreign countries Gelotology has demonstrated the ability to provide significant assistance in:

lowering blood pressure;
reducing stress levels;
increasing the activity of the body's immune system;
improving brain function, as well as mood and overall well-being.

That is, it is directly shown patients suffering depressive states, hypertensive patients, people with reduced immunity, and simply those who want to be treated in a fun and easy way. After all, in addition to all the bonuses listed above, laughter brings people together, helps them relax and look at their lives in a new way. This means that in certain doses it is indicated for everyone!

What happens at the moment when a person laughs?

Hyperventilation occurs. They are saturated with oxygen.
Blood circulation increases.
The muscles located in the pelvic area work very well.
The work of the cardiovascular muscle is activated.
Let's activate the happiness zone. We influence the mood.
We increase our immunity.

Laughter therapy. Results

What will we get by doing this kind of treatment?

You and I receive the hormone of joy.
We just relax, have fun and joy.
We develop self-confidence and a sense of humor.
We remove the negativity.
We increase our creative activity.
We repress stress, get rid of it.

Contraindications for laughter therapy

There is no scientific data on contraindications to this method. Can laughter be harmful? How do you think?

Laughter therapy. Exercises at home

There are many exercises used in laughter therapy. Let's look at the simplest ones that can easily be done at home:

In moments of fatigue, read a few jokes and laugh heartily.
Try making faces at yourself while standing in front of the mirror.
When something annoys you, try to smile and turn your attention to something pleasant.
Allow yourself to watch humorous programs and comedies more often.
Take part in fun quests, games, and friendly gatherings.
Take a piece of refined sugar and squeeze it between your teeth without closing your mouth. Now look in the mirror.
Listen to a recording of infectious laughter.
To get an idea of how laughter therapy classes can take place in groups, watch the video.

Laughter therapy. Video