Laughter is the best medicine and, as laughter yoga instructor Maureen Meredith knows, that’s just the start of its benefits.<\/p>\n
Laughter yoga is a unique exercise routine that increases oxygen flow, reduces stress, promotes mental well-being and fights diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis and cancer. Created by Dr Madan Kataria in 1995, laughter yoga has spawned over 4,000 laughter clubs in 40 countries.<\/p>\n
As Curtin’s student and community development officer, Maureen says that the technique is one of many strategies students should adopt to fight stress.<\/p>\n
‘There are proven results that laughter is beneficial to the body,’ she said.<\/p>\n
‘It’s just the best – you come away feeling totally energised and your endorphins are going,’ she said.<\/p>\n
Unlike normal yoga, participants dress up, pretend to be motorbikes and play musical instruments.<\/p>\n
‘People have a misconception that they’ll be standing on their heads but the yoga part comes from the breathing technique using your diaphragm,’ Maureen said.<\/p>\n
‘It’s around 120 different activities put together by a facilitator to get that ‘ha’ action happening.<\/p>\n
‘I tell them they all look as silly as each other.<\/p>\n
‘You really have to experience it, it sounds crazy and it is.’<\/p>\n
Maureen runs intermittent classes at Curtin and has helped put smiles on students’ faces in the lead up to exams and during Anxiety Week for Curtin’s counselling service.<\/p>\n
‘Thirty minutes of laughter yoga is a brilliant way to invigorate yourself for the rest of the day – it’s fantastic for de-stressing and giving you renewed energy to tackle those “put off until the afternoon” things,’ enthusiast Jaimee Motion said.<\/p>\n