Dubai: For thousands of people across the globe everything was a laughing matter as they marked the World Laughter Day Sunday.
In Dubai, a group of yoga enthusiasts clapped, did their deep breathing exercises and laughed a lot at Zabeel Park to mark the international event which was started off by Dr Madan Kataria in 1998.
"It's been scientifically proved that your feel-good emotions improve your immune system," said Suman Suneja, founder of the Friends of Yoga club in the UAE, who anchored the event at the Park. He said when people laugh in a group there is a multiplier effect which is contagious and spreads positive emotions in the society.
In a message, Dr Kataria, founder of the World Laughter Day and Laughter Yoga Movement, notes on the website: "Every year millions of dollars are being spent on maintaining health as stress levels are steadily increasing and the cost of health care has become a great concern for people at large and governments all over the world. Laughter Yoga has already proved to be a cost-effective and very powerful tool for maintaining physical and mental wellbeing.."
The Day is marked on the first Sunday of May every year. There are 6,000 Laughter Clubs across the globe. The first World Laughter Day gathering took place in Mumbai, India, in 1998, where 12,000 members from local and international laughter clubs joined together in a mega laughter session.
Tony D'Silva, a yoga instructor in his 60s, said yoga and laughter has kept him fit. He recently won a prize in the "Yalla Walk" competition last month treading over 245km. The free yoga clubs started 20 years ago when a former principal K.D. Rai, floated the idea. "All you need is a mat and loose clothing ( to keep fit)," he said. "A good laugh flushes out the toxins," he said.
Dr Lalit Uchil, specialist family physician at the Welcare Ambulatory Care Centre, said our daily stress in life leads to high BP and high cholesterol problems. "It helps if you don't allow situations to overwhelm you," he said. He said the forced laughter in a group could be therapeutic.
