CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- At times, everyone could use a really good laugh, and one local group is taking this matter seriously.  

The Center for Healthy Living, based at the Ecovillage, is holding laughing yoga classes every Thursday starting at 11:30 a.m. 

"It's intentional laughter," said laughing yoga instructor Marge Thompson. "We are not laughing at jokes, we are not waiting for someone to tell us something funny to respond to and what's interesting is that as you start it, you start laughing ha ha and then you get a little faster ha ha and you just go on like that."

Thompson helps participants get in some laughs using different exercises. 

"Number one it takes breathing, number two we clap this way, not like this," she said. "We do like this because you are stimulating the acupuncture and then the third thing is eye contact and the fourth thing is to become childlike, find that little kid inside of you."

The benefits behind the exercise are no laughing matter.

"We are going to be standing around and learning the value of laughter and how important it is to reduce stress and make the body healthy," said the Center for Healthy Living coordinator Joanie Freeman.

"It helps to get rid of depression, it helps to get rid of pain, it gives the joyful endorphins like on a runner's high," said Thompson. 

She adds forcing yourself to laugh has the same benefits as working out. 

"One minute of constant laughter equals ten minutes on a rowing machine," said Thompson. "Ten minutes of constant laughter equals 50 minutes in a gym."

Proving that laughter really is the best medicine. 

"It's like everybody has to go shake it off, get into a groove and just start laughing," said Thompson.

To learn more about the classes, click here.