Healthier biscuit brand, go ahead!, recently conducted research into the UK's exercise habits and discovered that 70% of people would do more exercise if it was more fun, and 60% claimed that laughter would be their ideal form of exercise.
With Go Ahead!
With this in mind, this inspired the launch of The go ahead! Laughter Yoga Studio with laughter yoga expert, Melanie Bloch, hosting a series of free classes to nourish both the mind and body to create the ultimate feel food experience.
Nichola Knevitt, go ahead! spokesperson: "Our go ahead! range offers a variety of deliciously fruity snacks that taste great and feel good - and we can't think of a better way of making people feel good than through laughter yoga, which has been proven to help invigorate both mind and body."
To celebrate the launch of the Studio go ahead! has worked with Melanie to create a quick guide to why laughter yoga should inspire us to laugh more…
Both activities reduce the stress hormone, cortisol, which can help to combat depression and anxiety
According to research, 100 belly laughs are the equivalent of 10 minutes of rowing for both your mind body*
Laughter Yoga is a great cardio workout, as it acts like an aerobic exercise. The activity increases cardiopulmonary endurance and the net supply of oxygen to the cells
Both exercise and laughter produce mood lifting, pain reducing endorphins to help you feel good
Regular laughter has the same ability as exercise to increase blood flow to the heart and support healthier vascular function - boosting the heart rate and lowering blood pressure
Just like cardio exercise, a good giggle session improves your lung capacity, generating improved respiration
Both activities stimulate a reduction in stress, teamed with increased blood flow to the face and body - which can help to make you look younger (bonus)
Both exercise and laughter stimulate the release of endorphins, which (amongst scores of other benefits) boosts morale and improves energy levels - the all-famous 'runner's high'
People who laugh and/or exercise regularly will enjoy a boost of T-cells (white blood cells) to strengthen the immune system
When you are laughing the stomach muscles expand and contract, which means it's a great workout for the abs and your core - in fact, it has been suggested that 10 minutes of belly laughter is equivalent to 30 minutes of the plank
* (Fry, 1977, 1979; Fry & Salameh, 1987)
www.goahead.co.uk
@goahead
Tagged in exercise