World Laughter Day: 5 benefits of laughter yoga

Way back in 1998, the first World Laughter Day was celebrated on January 10 in Mumbai. It was arranged by Dr Madan Kataria, founder of the worldwide Laughter Yoga movement. Now, World Laughter Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of May (which falls on May 7 this year), here's looking at five benefits of laughter yoga, according to Laughteryoga.org. (In pic: Indian tennis players Sania Mirza and Leander Paes laugh during an exhibition mixed doubles match against Martina Navratilova and Mahesh Bhupathi at Sania Mirza Tennis Academy in 2015. Source: AP)

Good mood and more laughter: Whether it is your personal life, business life or social life everything you do depends upon your mood state. If your mood is good, you can do things much better. Laughter Yoga helps change your mood within minutes, by releasing certain chemicals from your brain cells called endorphins. You will remain cheerful and in a good mood throughout the day and will laugh more than you normally do. (In pic: Mumbai Police personnel participate in a laughter therapy session at a Police station in Mumbai. Source: PTI)

Healthy exercise to beat stress: Laughter Yoga is like an aerobic exercise (cardio workout) that brings more oxygen to the body and brain, which makes one feel more healthy and energetic. It's like a single exercise routine that reduces physical, mental and emotional stress simultaneously. (In pic: A pet camel shares a laugh with its owner at National Research Centre on Camel, in Bikaner. Source: PTI)

Health benefits: It strengthens the immune system, which not only prevents you from falling sick, but also helps to heal a variety of illnesses like hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, depression, arthritis, allergies, asthma, bronchitis, backache, fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, menstrual disorders, cancer and many others. (Source: Punjab police Jawans participating in laughter yoga during the celebration of New Year Party at Punjab Armed Police Academy in Jalandhar. Source: Express photo by Sarabjit Singh)

Quality of life: Quality of life depends upon the quality of good friends we have with whom we have a caring and sharing relationship. Laughter is a positive energy that helps connect with people quickly and improves relationships. If you laugh more, you will attract many friends. (Source: Express photo by Cheena Kapoor)

Positive attitude in challenging times: Everyone can laugh when the time is good, but how does one laugh when faced with challenges? Laughter helps create a positive mental state to deal with negative situations and negative people. It gives hope and optimism to cope with difficult times. (In pic: German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras share a laugh at a summit on migration in Valletta, Malta, in 2015. Source: AP)