How Laughter Yoga Saved My Life and Improved My Mental Health

My Journey from Depression to Recovery

TW – I nearly ended my life.

Those words are difficult to write, even now. But they’re true, and I share them because I know there are others out there who feel the same way I once did – trapped, numb, and convinced that the world would be better off without them. If you’re struggling with depression or looking for natural ways to support your mental health, I want you to know that there is hope.

Mental Health Journey

In 2016, I was prescribed Sertraline for depression. Looking back now, I realise that the black dog had been creeping up on me for perhaps 15 years. The signs were there – struggling to get up each morning, feeling completely numb, believing I was worth nothing. I felt like a tractor chugging up and down the same tough, rocky field every day, simply going through the motions.

I was conforming to how I thought I should be as a wife. As a mother. And I became an excellent actress, particularly in front of my teenage children. Until, eventually, I wasn’t.

The truth is, I often thought about crashing the car just to put an end to it all.

Taking a Leap of Faith

In January 2016, having come out later in life as a lesbian and gone through a difficult divorce, I finally found the courage to see my doctor and confess how I was feeling. The antidepressants helped, but what happened next was completely unexpected.

My therapist advised me to take a chance and try some new activities. So, summoning every ounce of bravery and faith I had left, I attended a wellbeing day – you know the sort, where you try different things like mindfully listening to a squeezed raisin.

One of the activities was listed simply as “laughter”. “Great, a comedy,” I thought. “Make me laugh then…”

But it wasn’t comedy at all. There were games where adults actually played and had fun together. Really! Then, at the end, we sat on chairs in a circle, closed our eyes, and laughed.

That moment planted a seed in my brain.

Discovering Laughter Yoga for Mental Health

Several months later, at the end of a Laughter Yoga session, I bounced out feeling the most relaxed, happy and de-stressed I had felt in my entire life.

WOW!

That was my lightbulb moment.

I realised that genuine laughter – the kind that comes from deep within and fills you with joy – hadn’t been present in my life for 20 years. And it was time to change that. What I didn’t realise at the time was that I had discovered one of the most powerful tools for mental wellbeing: Laughter Yoga.

Laughter Yoga Leader Training

In October 2016, I took the next leap of faith and signed up for a Laughter Yoga Leader Course. Little did I know the benefits and how I would feel after the two-day course, but now I do!

Laughter Yoga offers over 30 benefits, many of which directly support mental health. These benefits include increased happiness from intentionally laughing during the exercises, reduced stress and anxiety, improved mood, and enhanced emotional resilience. You don’t need to wait until something funny happens – you can create those feel-good feelings whenever you need them. [See 30 of the benefits of Laughter Yoga here in this article [link]]

The mental health benefits of Laughter Yoga are backed by science, as your body doesn’t know the difference between real and simulated laughter – it releases the same feel-good chemicals either way.

What Laughter Yoga Teaches Us About Mental Health

Laughter Yoga taught me something profound: you don’t need to be happy to laugh. Through simulated laughter exercises, you can create opportunities for genuine laughter without jokes, comedy or humour. This is particularly important for those struggling with depression or mental health challenges, because it means you don’t have to wait to feel better before you can start laughing – you can start laughing to feel better.

This simple truth about how Laughter Yoga helps mental health transformed my life so completely that I became a Laughter Yoga Teacher myself. I wanted to share this gift with others who were sceptical, who felt as low as I once did, who couldn’t imagine ever feeling joy again.

Having been in that dark place myself, I have great empathy and understanding for those who are doubtful about wellbeing workshops or alternative approaches to mental health support. I understand the numbness, the exhaustion, the feeling that nothing will ever help. But I’m living proof that change is possible. Laughter Yoga is effective for stress relief and helps mental health recovery.

The Benefits of Laughter Yoga for Your Well-being

The benefits of Laughter Yoga extend far beyond simply having a good laugh. Regular practice can help you:

• Reduce stress and anxiety naturally
• Improve your overall mood and emotional well-being
• Build resilience and emotional strength
• Create genuine happiness through simulated laughter exercises
• Develop better coping mechanisms for life and work challenges
• Boost your mental health without relying solely on medication
• Find community and connection with others

Whether you’re dealing with depression, work-related stress, or simply want to improve your mental health, Laughter Yoga offers a unique, evidence-based approach that works alongside traditional mental health support.

A Question for You

Have you had a lightbulb moment in your life? A moment when everything shifted, when you discovered something that changed your path?

If you’re struggling right now, if you’re feeling the way I once felt, please know that there is hope. Sometimes healing comes from the most unexpected places – in my case, from sitting in a circle with strangers and choosing to laugh. It’s one of the simplest yet most powerful tools for supporting your mental health.

That choice saved my life. And it might just change yours, too. Read more about what Laughter Yoga is in this article.

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If you’re experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please reach out for help. Contact 111 for the mental health support line, the Samaritans on 116 123 (UK), available 24/7, or speak to your GP. You don’t have to face this alone.

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Written by Sunny Turner, founder of Serious Laughter and an accredited Laughter Yoga Teacher and Motivator.

Having experienced depression firsthand, she now dedicates her life to helping others discover the healing power of laughter for mental health through wellness workshops, conference ice-breakers, and Laughter Yoga Leader Training courses across Manchester, Cheshire, North Wales and the whole UK.

Serious Laughter specialises in helping people cope with life and work challenges through the proven benefits of Laughter Yoga for stress relief and mental wellbeing. Book a chat with Sunny here

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