Laughter library aims to have the whole world laughing with you

With just 4 laughs recorded, library already has international feel

Image | Public laughs, private debate

Caption: No matter who you are or what you do, you can benefit from a good laugh. (Jason Reed/Reuters)

A P.E.I. laughter yoga instructor is putting together a new online library(external link) to help with her classes, and for anyone who just needs a good laugh.
Anne-Marie Rolfe uses pictures of people laughing to get things going in her classes, and got the idea for a library of sound recordings while listening to people she was teaching.

Image | Anne-Marie Rolfe

Caption: Yoga instructor Anne-Marie Rolfe says even listening to a laughter can get release mood-enhancing endorphins. (Anne-Marie Rolfe/Facebook)

"There's some brilliant laughter here. There's just brilliant laughter," Rolfe realized.
Laughter is good for you: from the simple exercise it gives your lungs, to increased oxygen in the blood, to the mood-enhancing endorphins it releases.
"Sometimes just listening to laughter can be enough to start those endorphins flowing," said Rolfe.

Fake it 'til you make it

Laughter yoga is based on the theory that your body can't tell if you are laughing because you are happy or find something funny, and even a forced laugh will bring on the health benefits.
Let's grab that laughter. - Anne-Marie Rolfe
Rolfe has put her laughter library online, and has set up a system to allow people to add their own laugh(external link) from anywhere in the world.
"With digital audio, it's so easy on your cell phone to just go ahead and make a recording," she said.
"Let's grab that laughter and put it in a library."
She now has four recordings, counting her own and one from Japan.