According to a recently published article in Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN, studies have long credited laughter with the ability to reduce stress, increase pain tolerance and promote healing. The innovation in Laughter Yoga is to dispel the notion that you need a reason to laugh. Just the physical act of laughing can bring the same tension-releasing benefits as humor-based laughter.

It's a balm that people may be in need of now more than ever. With a downtrodden economy, jobs vanishing by the thousands and a general mood of uncertainty, a cheap, easy remedy that's available to anyone may be just want the doctor ordered. Laughter Yoga can reframe an issue so it doesn't seem so oppressive. “Your body will feel better. They've even done studies where somebody smiles at themselves in the mirror for six minutes a day, and that helped improve their mood," said Ann Marie Gullickson, laughter leader from Rochester.

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