Laugh It Out, Cowgirl: Why I Teach Laughter in Every Class…

Because your nervous system needs a giggle more than it needs a crunch.

When was the last time you really laughed?
I don’t mean a polite chuckle. I mean full-bodied, shoulder-shaking, I-might-pee-a-little kind of laughter. The kind that leaves you breathless but lighter. That’s not just a good time — that’s good medicine.

At my studios in Houston and East Texas, I teach Pilates. But I also teach something else: laughter. Whimsy is part of my method. I’ve led clients through hundreds of deep core sessions — some in ridiculous cowgirl hats — and I’ve seen firsthand how playfulness resets the body in ways perfect posture never could.

1.The Science of the Giggle

Laughter stimulates your diaphragm, engages your transversus abdominis, and lights up your vagus nerve — the key to nervous system regulation. It triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, helping shift you from stress into safety.

“Genuine laughter activates brain areas involved in emotional regulation and rewards, including the amygdala and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex.” (Manninen et al., 2017, Scientific Reports)

Laughter also releases:
- Oxytocin (the bonding hormone)
- Dopamine (the feel-good motivator)
- Endorphins (natural pain relievers)
- And reduces cortisol (your body’s main stress hormone)

2.Why I Add Whimsy on the Mat (and in the Round Pen)

I once had a client, Emily, who hadn’t laughed in years. Trauma, head injury, and heartbreak had shut her down. But one day at our Conscious Contact retreat, she bent to pick up a horse’s hoof — something she’d never done — and the horse gently offered it. She giggled so hard she almost lost her balance. That moment wasn’t small. It was sacred.

That giggle marked the moment her nervous system said, "You're safe now."

You don’t need a horse to feel that shift. You just need permission. And a little whimsy. That’s why I create playful space in my classes — not in spite of the seriousness of healing, but because of it.

Melody Morton-Buckleair
Founder, The Pilates Cowgirl & Conscious Contact Retreats
📍Houston + Elmwood Place, TX
📧 pilatescowgirl@gmail.com
📱 713-614-8684
🌐 https://thegoodspacehouston.com | https://elmwoodplacetx.com
📸 Instagram: @thepilatescowgirl | @elmwoodplacetx

Laughter isn’t just a release — it’s a reset. Discover the science of whimsy, core connection, and nervous system healing in this blog by Pilates educator and retreat leader Melody Morton-Buckleair.