Occupational stress is the most rapidly growing global phenomenon. Business people are succumbing to work pressure and its damaging effects are being felt in almost all the countries and among all levels of the workforce.

This rise in unhealthy levels of stress leads to a broad range of pathological consequences ranging from chronic fatigue to depression, insomnia, anxiety, migraine, emotional upsets, allergies, hypertension, heart disease, peptic ulcers and stomach disorders. It can also alter immune functions, which may in turn lead to the development of cancer. Taken together, these disorders are responsible for a majority of disease, death and disability.

Effects of work stress
Individual: Besides facing serious health problems, a person may find it difficult to cope with relationships both within work and out of it. The strain of handling seniors, colleagues, friends and family take its toll. It can lead to a loss of job, frustration, feelings of inadequacy, severe depression and sometimes even suicide.

Company: The company bears work stress in many forms. These include absenteeism, high medical costs and staff turnover, loss of profits, productivity and efficiency.

Breakthrough study
Two studies, one in India and one in America, examine the effects of Laughter Yoga and unconditional laughter developed by Dr. Madan Kataria. This exercise technique which started in 1995 in India has now swept the world, with over 5,000 laughter clubs in more than 50 countries.

“I have always believed that laughter sessions were beneficial” said Dr Kataria, “but I was surprised how conclusive the results of this scientific research are. The American study shows improvements in work effectiveness by more than 100 percent, while the Indian study confirms major stress reduction and a remarkable increase in emotional intelligence skills, which are required for career and life success. It is significant that these results were achieved in just three weeks,” says Kataria.

India study
The study focused on measuring changes in stress levels before and after three weeks of unconditional laughter sessions for staff at three separate IT companies. Researchers carefully measured physical, psychological and emotional indicators of stress.

The laughter group showed a significant decrease in stress levels reflected in reduced heart rate and blood pressure, reduced cortisol levels and an 11% decrease in perceived stress levels. Other indicators confirmed that all participants showed significantly lower stress levels after three weeks of laughter sessions.

America study
This study confirmed that short daily laughter sessions significantly improve work performance. A group of thirty-three employees in a behavioral health center laughed together daily for 15 minutes for 15 days.

Researchers measured self efficacy, a term used to describe a group of twelve characteristics that reflect overall work effectiveness. Participants’ self-competency scores more than doubled, relational competencies increased by almost 50% and role competency also doubled during the study.

All participants improved from being classed as ‘having potential for growth and development’ before the laughter sessions to ‘company assets with enhanced abilities who can perform under stress’. The improvements remained significant in further tests 2-3 months later.

Laughter Yoga at workplace
Laughter Yoga approaches laughter as a form of physical exercise and enables extended sessions of hearty laughter on demand without the use of jokes or humor.

Laughter is stimulated through group exercises done standing and sitting, clapping, deep breathing and stretches. It is an excellent way to creatively energize work group or to wrap up a productive day’s work.

Because the brain is not involved in deciding to laugh this is known as ‘unconditional laughter’. Participants claim to feel benefits after just one session.