LAUGHTER YOGA IS THE BEST MEDICINE

Ho Ho - Ha Ha Ha

Presented by: Erin Langiano, R/TRO and Kellie Halligan, CTRS

WHO ARE WE? WHERE DO WE WORK? Royal Ottawa Place is a unique long

term care facility, providing care to individuals who are challenged by a chronic, persistent mental illness.

Average age 64 (Youngest 34 – Oldest 91)

33 Male / 31 Female

This is Erin This is Kellie

LET’S BREAK IT DOWN: OBJECTIVES

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to identify key

components and theories of laughter yoga.

2. Participants will actively participate in a laughter

yoga session for 30 minutes and be able to identify 2

benefits

3. Participants will be able to identify benefits

discovered through research implemented with

individuals living in LTC with mental illness at ROP.

Take a minute to fill in the “BEFORE” measure of

“HOW DO YOU FEEL”

WHAT IS LAUGHTER YOGA

Laughter Yoga is a unique exercise routine which

combines unconditional laughter with yogic

breathing.

During a session we start with a gentle warm-up

(stretching, clapping, body movements).

Laughter exercises and breathing techniques are

introduced (approx. 20 minutes).

Session is finished with a laughter

meditation/cool-down/relaxation exercises

5 WHYS OF LAUGHTER YOGA

1. Laughter Yoga is a unique concept where anyone can laugh for no reason without relying on humour, jokes, or comedy

2. We initiate laughter as an exercise in a group but with eye contact and childlike playfulness it soon turns into real and contagious laughter

3. The reason we call it laughter yoga is because it combines laughter exercises with yoga breathing. This brings more oxygen to the body and the brain which makes one feel more energetic and healthy.

4. Laughter Yoga is based on scientific fact that the body cannot differentiate between real and simulated laughter if done with willingness. One receives the same health benefits whether laughter is real or fake.

5. It was started by a medical doctor, Dr. Madan Kataria supported by his wife, Madhuri Kataria, a yoga teacher from India with just 5 people in a Mumbai park in 1995.

A BLAST FROM THE PAST: THE HISTORY

OF LAUGHTER YOGA

There have been a number of individuals to

contribute to the development of therapeutic

laughter

Norman Cousins, celebrated writer

Dr. William F. Fry, psychiatrist, Stanford

University

Dr. Lee Berk, PhD, Loma Linda University

Medical Centre

Dr. Patch Adams, MD

Dr. Madan Kataria

Dr. Madhuri Kataria

HEALTHY BODY, HEALTHY MIND: THE

BENEFITS OF LAUGHTER YOGA

Laughter Yoga is a complete package for physical, mental, social, and spiritual wellbeing of an individual

Laughter Yoga brings more Laughter and Joy

Laughter Yoga for fitness

Oxygen levels

Increase blood circulation

Stress buster

Self-Confidence

Communication Skills

Maintains Emotional Balance

Boost Immune System

Depression and Anxiety

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM LAUGHTER YOGA ?

What population does everyone work with?

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING A SESSION

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tga6wRGlISs

Fill in the “AFTER” measure on your handout

Feedback

OUR ROCKY ROAD TO RESEARCH: HOW WE

GOT STARTED

Becoming certified

Program Outline

Development of research question

Literature review

Proposal outline

Consent Forms

Measures (Oxford Happiness Questionnaire,

Sleep Rating Scale, PRN use)

Ethics Approval

PARTICIPANT SELECTION PROCESS

Group size- 8:1 ratio (RAI/MDS Therapy groups)

Cognitive Performance Scores

Focus (ability to focus for 30 minutes)

Ability to understand/answer measurements

Commitment/Willingness to participate

Short-term memory

Interest

Diagnosis

METHODOLOGY: OUR BIG BLOCK

Measure Original

Timeline

Actual Timeline

PRN Use 30 days prior,

during, after

14 days prior,

during, after

Oxford Happiness

Questionnaire

1 prior to the start,

halfway through (2

weeks), following

last session, and 30

days after

1 day prior to start,

following last

session (2 weeks),

and 2 weeks after

last session

Sleep Rating Scale Every day during

study

Every day during

study

PRN USE

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

PRN Use 2 Weeks Prior

PRN Use During (14 days)

PRN Use 2 Weeks After

PRN Use

Participant 2 Weeks

Prior During (14

days) 2 Weeks

After

Maragaret

Atwood 3 2 2

Jim Carrey 0 0 0

Bryan

Adams 4 12 4

Drake 0 0 0

Mike Myers 0 0 0

Pam

Anderson 0 0 0

K.D. Lang 0 0 0

Celine Dion 1 0 1

OXFORD HAPPINESS QUESTIONNAIRE: THE

CHOSEN ONE

How do we choose?

Other options: PANAS, Satisfaction with Life

Scale, Subjective Happiness

Who administered questionnaire

PROS CONS

• Measured variety of

benefits directly related

to LY

• Difficulty with wording

(Eg. #23)

• Standardized • Interpretation of

statements

• Used within our field • Emotional for

participants

• Easy scale to follow

• Easy to calculate

OXFORD HAPPINESS QUESTIONNAIRE

RESULTS

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

Oxford Happiness

Questionnaire Results

Initial Score End Score Post Score

Oxford Happiness Questionnaire Results

Participant

Name Initial

Score End

Score Post

Score

Margaret

Atwood 5.30 5.41 5.27

Celine Dion 4.90 3.69 5

Mike Myers 4.34 4.82 4.38

Jim Carrey 2.75 4.24 3.41

Pam

Anderson 5.34 5.21 5.72

Bryan Adams 4.66 5 5.59

Drake 3.34 4.14 3.51

K. D. Lang 3.38 3.48 4.17

Averages 4.25 4.50 4.63

SLEEP RATING SCALE

Sleep Rating Scale

1 2 3 4 5

(No sleep) (Woke occasionally) (Slept all night)

1- Awful

2- Not very good

3- Good

4- Really Good

5- Brilliant

STATISTICS: A.K.A THE WORST PART

Determining data analysis

Anova: Single

Factor

SUMMARY

Groups Count Sum Average Variance

Initial Score 8 34.01 4.25125 0.9606125

End Score 8 35.99 4.49875 0.511183929

Post Score 8 37.05 4.63125 0.810441071

ANOVA

Source of

Variation SS df MS F P-value F crit

Between

Groups 0.595233

33 2 0.297616667 0.391216953 0.68106 3.466800112

Within Groups 15.97566

25 21 0.760745833

Total 16.57089

58 23

STATS CONTINUED

Future recommendations for research

t-Test: Paired Two Sample for Means

Post Score Initial Score

Mean 4.63125 4.25125

Variance 0.810441071 0.9606125

Observations 8 8

Pearson Correlation 0.926287305

Hypothesized Mean Difference 0

df 7

t Stat 2.909581008

P(T<=t) one-tail 0.01133704

t Critical one-tail 1.894578605

P(T<=t) two-tail 0.02267408

t Critical two-tail 2.364624252

PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK “I have more energy.” ~ K.D. Lang

“I feel more creative immediately following the group.” ~

Margaret Atwood

“I feel more relaxed, calm, cool, and collected”~ Margaret

Atwood

“I want to laugh more. I feel happier when I’m laughing.” ~

Mike Myers

“I feel more at peace.” ~ K.D. Lang

“I feel like I’m in a better mood”~ Drake

“I feel more relaxed, I enjoy the relaxation at the end.” ~

K.D. Lang

“I like being silly, it feels great.” ~ Pam Anderson

FOLLOW-UP

Difficulties and challenges

Questions, comments, feedback

Contact Information

Erin Langiano: erin.langiano@theroyal.ca

Kellie Halligan: kellie.halligan@theroyal.ca