Laughter therapy eases COPD breathing in small trial — SkimNews
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- Goncagul Aldan and colleagues at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital randomized 63 COPD patients into three groups of 21 to test structured laughter therapy against pursed-lip breathing exercises and a no-intervention control
- Laughter therapy participants — who performed 30-minute coached sessions three times a week mimicking a motorcycle starting, roaring like a lion, and rhythmic clapping — showed less breathing difficulty and better overall health than controls after eight weeks
- The breathing benefits persisted a full month after the trial ended, though neither laughter therapy nor pursed-lip breathing reduced how much daily caregiver assistance participants needed
- Aldan cautioned the therapy is not interchangeable with spontaneous laughter, saying unguided responses to funny videos can trigger adverse effects like acute airway collapse or excessive exertion
- Marc Miravitlles of Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, who was not involved in the research, called it "a small but well-run study" whose simplicity means the technique could be used "by anyone, anywhere in the world"
- The researchers did not directly compare laughter therapy against pursed-lip breathing, and said they hope to expand the work with international collaborators
Why it matters: For the millions living with COPD worldwide, the finding points to a low-cost, no-equipment adjunct to standard medication — one an outside expert said could be used "by anyone, anywhere." But the 63-person sample, lack of head-to-head comparison with existing breathing exercises, and no measurable effect on caregiver dependence mean larger, longer trials are needed before it becomes a clinical recommendation.
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