Clinical Trial Reveals How ‘Laughter Therapy’ Affects Breathlessness
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A randomized clinical trial involving 63 people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) found that structured “laughter therapy” helped reduce breathlessness and improve overall health, producing results comparable to traditional pursed-lip breathing exercises. The findings were presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress 2026 in Barcelona.
The study involved patients receiving treatment at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital in Türkiye. Participants were randomly divided into three equal groups: one practiced laughter therapy, another performed pursed-lip breathing exercises, while the third did not perform additional breathing exercises. The two intervention groups practiced for 30 minutes, three times a week, for eight weeks.
The laughter therapy involved structured exercises combining deliberate laughter, rhythmic movements, breathing and relaxation rather than simply watching comedy. After eight weeks, both the laughter and pursed-lip breathing groups reported less severe breathlessness and better overall health than the control group.
The improvement in breathlessness was still evident one month after the programme ended, although the study found no significant difference in how much day-to-day care participants required.
Lead researcher Dr Goncagul Aldan said laughter may exercise respiratory muscles, encourage deeper exhalation and provide emotional relief. Researchers stressed, however, that the trial was small and that larger studies are needed before the approach can be more widely evaluated as a complement to existing COPD treatment and pulmonary rehabilitation.
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Tahani Elghazaly5605 Posts
