Kasim Al-Mashat laughs a lot—for no reason. So do all of the students, staff and faculty who drop in to his free Monday Laughter Yoga sessions at 11:30 am in the Chancellor's Gymnasium’s fitness studio.

Al-Mashat is a certified teacher and trainer in laughter yoga, a worldwide phenomenon in which participants learn to trigger laughter through breathing and movement exercises.

Scientific studies show that laughter, regardless of whether it is faked or spontaneous, reduces stress levels, pain, anxiety and depression.

“As long as it’s done with willingness, the body doesn’t know the difference,” says Al-Mashat. “Ten minutes of hearty laughter is worth more than 20 minutes of rowing.”

He began offering the classes last January as part of his UBC PhD internship in counselling psychology with SFU Health and Counselling Services. Just two students showed up for the first class, but his classes now boast more than 15 participants each time.

“A little laughter is important at university,” says participant Candace Carlson, a third year psychology student. “I tend to take things seriously. It’s nice to have more laughter and humour in my life. This is helping with that.”

Al-Mashat concurs. In 2007 he took his first laughter yoga class in a bid to alleviate the stress of his PhD studies, which he has just completed. He is now employed as a registered counsellor with SFU Health and Counselling Services.

“After every session I feel incredible—uplifted, released, lighter,” he says. “It has brought more joy to life and more flexibility. It becomes easier to roll with life’s punches.”

During Al-Mashat’s classes, participants practice yogic breathing and movement, and do laughter exercises with each other, such as passing an imaginary “laughter ball”. The class finishes with laughter meditation, where participants lay on mats and begin to contagiously laugh before relaxing.

Carlson sums the class up best. “It’s an hour of forgetting about everything else and having a good time.”

All sessions are free, but registration is required. For information on the class: http://at.sfu.ca/zSecbz. For information on laughter yoga: www.laughteryoga.ca and www.laughteryoga.org.