Yoga class leaves them laughing

Indian Rocks Beach, Florida - At the beach, you expect to hear the roll of waves and the laughter of seagulls, but some beach belly laughs take things to a whole new level.

One Sunday evening, about a dozen people are milling about in a circle, making funny faces and emitting loud laughs. There's no doubt about it, this yuk-fest on Indian Rocks beach gets a lot of strange looks.

Beachgoer Brian Bozak didn't know what to think. "A group of crazy people... I'm not sure what they're doing," he said.

But this gleeful group couldn't give a hoot about what others think; they're too busy ho-ho-hah-ing. And there is a serious side to all this hilarity. They're practicing what's called Laughter Yoga and instructor Patty Darcy says there are proven health benefits.

"With sustained, hearty laughter we are thoroughly oxygenating our bodies. We're strengthening our core muscles when we laugh," says Darcy.

Laughter Yoga was developed in 1995 by Indian physician Dr. Madan Kataria. Since then the movement's spread around the world by giggles and guffaws.

While there is some stretching and movement involved, Laughter Yoga does not involve becoming a pretzel, so that makes it easy for people of all ages to participate.

The organized cheering lasts about an hour, but the grins remain.

"I love it. You feel good. You really feel good," says Joan Gaff of Largo after the class.

And then there's this thing about laughter; it's catchy. Even other beachgoers, who watched from a distance, couldn't help but giggle a bit.

"Just watching them makes you want to laugh... it's contagious," says Mary Gawron.

So feeling down in the dumps? Body a big achy? Perhaps a dose of laughter could help.

For more information about Laughter Yoga click here.