Laughter therapy could help people with common lung condition breathe better
One third were prescribed laughter therapy, while the remainder were either given pursed-lip breathing exercises or no exercises at all
Laughter therapy could help ease breathing problems in people with a common lung condition, a trial has found.
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The “simple, low cost” technique may be as effective as traditional breathing exercises and could “complement existing care” for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, researchers said.
It is estimated that around 1.7 million people in the UK are living with COPD, some 600,000 of whom are undiagnosed.
The trial involved 63 people with COPD being treated at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital in Turkey.
One third were prescribed laughter therapy, while the remainder were either given pursed-lip breathing exercises or no exercises at all.
Patients were given exercise demonstrations, then asked to do 30-minute sessions three times a week for eight weeks.
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Breathing was assessed before, during and after treatment.
The study found both laughter therapy and pursed-lip breathing exercises improved breathing compared to those who had not done either.
Dr Goncagul Aldan, a lecturer and nurse from Hacettepe University Faculty of Nursing in Ankara, said: “People with COPD often feel breathless, even during simple daily activities. This reduces their quality of life and makes them increasingly dependent on others for care.
“Managing COPD requires more than medication alone. Patients need a holistic, approach to help them cope with their symptoms, the physical burden of the disease, and its emotional and psychological impact.
“With this research we wanted to explore whether additional simple, low-cost techniques could complement existing care.
“Laughter therapy had already shown promising results in a number of other chronic conditions. Its accessible, enjoyable nature suggests it could equally benefit COPD patients, not only in coping with the daily stress of living with a chronic illness, but also in directly supporting their respiratory health.”
The effects of laughter therapy and pursed-lip breathing exercises were sustained a month after the programme ended, according to Dr Aldan.
She said: “These findings offer hope that simple, low-cost techniques which patients can practice at home – without any equipment or specialist support – may reduce breathlessness and improve daily wellbeing.
“Both interventions also showed promising results in improving overall health, suggesting that laughter therapy may be a worthwhile area for further investigation alongside pursed-lip breathing in COPD care.
“In COPD, the airways tend to collapse during exhalation, trapping stale air inside the lungs.
“Pursed-lip breathing creates a gentle back pressure that allows this trapped air to escape, slows the breathing rate, and helps patients feel more in control of their breathing.
“Laughter may exercise the breathing muscles, promote deeper exhalation, and trigger the release of endorphins, offering both physical and emotional relief.”
More studies are needed to understand why laughter may affect COPD symptoms.
Dr Aldan said: “Laughter therapy aims to evoke the effects of genuine laughter in the body. However, the mechanisms behind laughter therapy in COPD remain poorly understood, and more comprehensive research is needed.”
The findings from the trial will be presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona.
Emma Rubach, head of health advice at Asthma + Lung UK, said: “This exciting study shows that laughter therapy is an effective way to control breathlessness for people with COPD.
“This research adds to growing evidence showing that innovative non-traditional therapies can improve people’s ability to manage lung conditions like COPD.
“While further studies with a larger number of patients are still needed, laughter therapy appears to be a fun, accessible and effective self-management technique to help people with COPD control their symptoms.
“While there is still no cure for COPD, which often leaves people fighting for breath, innovations like laughter therapy have real potential to provide genuine relief and improve the quality of life for the 1.7 million people in the UK that have the condition.”