Laughter is a natural response to a humorous stimulus or a pleasant emotion. Genuine laughter has been proven to have positive psychological and physical effects on us. Hence, researchers wondered whether fake or simulated laughter also has the potential to improve mental health. One of the exercises that is used to study these effects is laughter yoga.

Laughter Yoga is a complementary therapy used to enhance the health and well-being of ordinary people and patients with chronic illnesses. 

What Is Laughter Yoga

 Laughter Yoga (LY), a simulated laughter exercise was developed by Dr. Madan Kataria in 1995. It consists of group-based laughter exercises involving simulated ( i.e., laughter that is not triggered by jokes or comedy) laughter, gentle stretching, rhythmic breathing, and meditation.

LY is done in groups because the experience of laughing in a group environment provides more positive emotions and helps people improve their communication skills. 

LY is an accessible, effective, and low-cost approach for improving mental well-being and quality of life.

The core elements of LY include: 

• Warm-up exercises
• Deep breathing exercises
• Childlike playfulness 
• Laughter exercises

The therapeutic effects of LY occur through similar body systems as traditional yoga and genuine laughter.

Benefits of  Laughter Yoga

The possible mechanism of the beneficial effect of laughter yoga group sessions is thought to be due to the effect on the neurological, endocrine, and immune systems of the body. Benefits of LY include:

Reduced Stress 

Laughter yoga reduces stress hormone levels by combining unprovoked laughter, yoga breathing, and stretching techniques for stress relief. It releases a rush of stress-busting hormones, like epinephrine and dopamine.

Studies reported that stress significantly decreased in LY participants immediately after one session. Stress reduction was also found in cancer patients who took LY  therapy. A randomized control trial with gynecological cancer patients found that LY has a beneficial effect on stress, depression, and functional well-being.

 It can also reduce the stress of cancer patients before undergoing chemotherapy.

Reduced Symptoms Of Depression

LY promotes emotional regulation by causing the release of endorphins.

Some studies show a significant decrease in depressive symptoms following Laughter Yoga sessions. However, the results were inconsistent.

Decreased Anxiety

As per studies, anxiety might reduce after 1 month of LY therapy. But, the reduction may or may not be significant.

Enhanced Positive Mood

It has been reported that laughter can reduce the release of serum cortisol (stress hormone) and stimulate the brain to think positively.

In two studies people reported significant enhancement in mood following LY sessions. 

Better Sleep Quality

LY improved the sleep quality of individuals who have undergone fecal ostomies, a surgical procedure diverting a portion of the bowel through an opening in the abdomen (known as a stoma) to allow waste to exit the body.

It has also been shown to reduce the symptoms of fatigue, pain, and sleep disturbance in cancer patients.

As shown by another study, LY had elevated sleep quality scores in patients with Parkinson’s disease. 

Reduction Of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea And Vomiting

Doctors administer powerful drugs in chemotherapy to stop cancer cells from growing and spreading. They use it to treat many types of cancer. The main side effects are nausea and vomiting.

Medications can reduce nausea and vomiting, but they do not eliminate it completely.

Stress and anxiety increase chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Hence, LY, used as a complementary therapy reduces these symptoms.

Related: Psychological benefits of Tai Chi

Summary

Compared with yoga, laughter yoga is a new form of aerobic exercise that incorporates the practice of simulated laughter. It is a strategy to reduce psychological stress levels to improve the quality of life. Further research will help us understand the long-term effects of LY therapy.

References

1. A structured laughter yoga therapy program on patients with chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: A randomized clinical trial. Asia-Pacific Journal of Oncology Nursing.2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apjon.2023.100337
2. Bressington, D., Yu, C., Wong, W., Ng, T. C., & Chien, W. T. (2018). The effects of group‐based laughter yoga interventions on mental health in adults: A systematic review. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 25(8), 517–527. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.12491 
3. Effects of laughter yoga on health-related quality of life in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a randomized clinical trial. 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10259013/
4. Han, S., Zhang, L., Li, Q., Wang, X., & Lian, S. (2023). The effects of laughter yoga on perceived stress, positive psychological capital, and exercise capacity in lung cancer chemotherapy patients: A pilot randomized trial. Integrative cancer therapies. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10725154/ 
5. Harputlu, D., Öztürk, F. Ö., Aydın, D., Akyol, C., & Tezel, A. (2023). Effect of laughter yoga on sleep and quality of life in individuals with Fecal Ostomies. Journal of Wound, Ostomy & Continence Nursing, 50(4), 307–312. https://doi.org/10.1097/won.0000000000000988