Laughter as medicine: An introduction to Heart Happy Laugh Yoga

Shamaya Sutton, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.
Updated ·4 min read

Jan. 12—"I told my mom I really wanted to get paid to laugh in 2020," said Courtney Payne. "People have told me that my laughter is contagious and I thought, 'there has to be a way that I can use this for good?'"

Payne, also known as the "laughing insurance agent," is looking to bring a new type of exercise regime to the Yuba-Sutter region. Starting with a degree in psychology, Payne briefly worked with special needs children before launching Live, Laugh, Love-Life Insurance. Through it, she helps people navigate tough decisions in regards to their health, welfare, and retirement planning needs. But, Payne still felt something was missing. She wanted to bring more joy to people on a broader spectrum than just insurance.

"I think if we can all laugh a little more, that will help us all," said Payne. "So, I literally went and Googled 'getting certified to laugh' and stumbled upon Laughter Yoga International with Dr. Madan Kataria — the 'laughter guru.'"

Kataria is an Indian doctor who launched the idea of laughter yoga in 1995. In addition to running a medical practice, Kataria worked as an editor and writer for a health-based magazine. While researching for an article on stress relief, he kept coming across the age-old adage that laughter is the best medicine.

"I realized that although people knew the benefits of laughter, nobody really practiced laughter consciously," said Kataria in a 2015 interview with a blogger known as Neetikarao. "I excitedly did research on the benefits of laughter, which has been proven by science over the last four decades. But, there was no effective delivery system to dispense the benefits of laughter. At that time, the delivery system was mostly humor, comedy, etc."

Kataria soon forged a laughter club that primarily revolved around telling jokes. The jokes soon ran out, however, and elderly members started to become offended by some of the vulgar content. Seeing that the club was unsustainable in its current form, Kataria asked for 24 hours to formulate a new plan. This was the birth of laughter yoga, a way of eliciting laughter without the need for humor.

"Laughter yoga is not a mind-body medicine, it is a body-mind medicine," continued Kataria. "If faking a smile can release happy chemicals, faking laughter can do a lot more. That gave me the idea that I could make laughter as an exercise."

Payne got herself certified with Laughter Yoga International and Kataria's method this past October through a series of virtual classes on Zoom. She is also working to gain her general yoga instructor certification as well.

Already, her registered business, Heart Happy Laugh Yoga, has been gaining traction. She has hosted private parties, school workshops, and ice-breaking presentations for volunteers at the Yuba City Police Department and Yuba-Sutter Shines.

"My experience with Courtney and Heart Happy Laugh Yoga was absolutely wonderful," said Celeste Brown, business engagement coordinator for the Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce. "Going in, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I was excited for something fun and new. From the moment I met Courtney, her personality drew me in. She exudes a welcoming and positive energy that instantly put me at ease. The laughing yoga session itself was a revelation. I found myself on a natural high throughout the day. It was like an instant mood booster, and I genuinely believe it was because of this unique experience."

Laughing yoga sessions, or laugh classes, typically run in 30- to 45-minute segments. During this time an instructor will lead the group in various breathing exercises and prompts that engage the muscles used in regular laughter, often leading to genuine giggles.

"Part of it for me is to also spark people's creativity and their child-like joy," added Payne.

Payne's goal for the coming year is to continue growing her network and establishing "parent and me" classes at the Tri-Counties Community Center in Marysville and Playzeum Yuba-Sutter.

For more information about Heart Happy Laugh Yoga, visit heartylaughyoga.com. Additional inquiries can be directed toward Payne by emailing support@heartylaughyoga.com or calling 916-634-1210.