World Laughter Day 2022: History, significance and how to celebrate

World Laughter Day 2022: The best way to celebrate is to have a good laugh.

World Laughter Day is celebrated on the first Sunday in May every year to raise awareness of laughter and its many healing benefits. The day also marks an attempt to manifest World Peace and form a global consciousness through laughter.

History of World Laughter Day
World Laughter Day was first celebrated in 1998 in Mumbai and was initiated by the founder of the Laughter Yoga Movement Dr Madan Kataria. He said that facial movements could reflect on the mental state of a person, thus encouraging people to laugh.

This eventually led to the formation of laughter groups and clubs. Soon, with the advent of Laughter Yoga -- visits to parks in the morning or evening would usually be accompanied by sights of groups of people laughing together -- was born the World Laughter Day.

Read more: World Laughter Day 2022: Watch Akshay Kumar celebrate with this hilarious video

Significance of World Laughter Day
According to experts, there is truth to the saying: “laughter is the best medicine” and studies have proven that laughing is good for health.

Here are a few of its benefits:

• Laughter helps reduce pain and allows people to tolerate discomfort
• Reduces blood sugar levels
• Improves job performance
• Makes relationships healthier
• Builds a positive emotional connection between people
• Helps blood vessels function better, which is good for the heart and brain
• Relieves stress and helps the body to relax

Doing these activities together with loved ones may also yield better results.