Research and other links
Cardiovascular (heart) effects:
A Comparison of Cardiovascular Effects in Simulated and Spontaneous Laughter
· The cardiovascular benefits are more with simulated laughter (laughter yoga) than spontaneous laughter (humor)
· Laughter leads to increased heart rate and reduced heart rate variability, which is similar to the effects of exercise. This finding is more pronounced in simulated laughter.
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome):
· Randomized, controlled, clinical trial with 60 participants diagnosed with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) ages 18-50, mostly female.
· Three groups in the study (laughter group, anti-anxiety medication group, control group)
· The IBS symptoms were greatly reduced in the Laughter Yoga group than in the medication group
· Anxiety decreased more in the Laughter Yoga group. Stress hormones also decreased.
Depression:
Laughter Therapy on Serotonin, Depression, and Quality of Life in Middle-Aged Women
• Study involving 64 middle-aged women divided into three groups according to the level of depression
• Laughter therapy (consisting of Laughter Yoga exercises) was conducted five times a week for two weeks.
• Quality of life increased after 10 interventions of laughter therapy.
• The more severe the depression, the better the effect
• Conclusion: “Results indicate that serotonin activation through laughter therapy can help middle-aged women by lessening depression and providing important grounds for depression control.”
In the Workplace:
Workplace Stress: The Efficacy of Laughter Yoga on IT Professionals to Overcome Professional Stress
· Observational controlled study of 200 healthy IT call center workers
· Those who participated in seven 20-minute Laughter Yoga sessions over 3 weeks showed the following;
Significant decrease in cortisol
18% improvement in positive emotions
28% reduction in negative emotions
Mean systolic BP decreased by 7mm Hg compared to zero decrease in control group
Laughter is the Best Medicine:
· Jacquelyn Killian, senior nurse scientist for the 711th Human Performance Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base focused her PhD research on Laughter Yoga with military officers and grad students at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland.
· Killian found that practicing Laughter Yoga four times; twice a week for two weeks, decreased their perceived stress levels and their negative effect, and it improved their resilience scores and positive affect.
· Family members commented on how much better the participants’ attitudes were and mentioned they seemed happier.
· Even if you are fake laughing, you are engaging the diaphragm which is where the vagus nerve sits.
Vagus nerve activates the parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for “rest and digest.”
Vagus nerve counteracts the negative effects of stress.
· Per Killiam, Laughter Yoga is good for your respiratory system, autonomic nervous system, and your mind.
Laughter Yoga and Cancer Patients:
Farifteh S, Mohammadi-Aria A, Kiamanesh A, Mofid B. The Impact of Laughter Yoga on the Stress of Cancer Patients before Chemotherapy. Iran J Cancer Prev. 2014;7(4):179-183.
The Impact of Laughter Yoga on the Stress of Cancer Patients before Chemotherapy - PMC (nih.gov)
· Controlled study conducted on cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy showed that Laughter yoga reduces stress before chemotherapy.
· Reducing the stress of cancer patients is vital. Stress increases cancer cell activity and causes the cells to resist chemotherapy. Using Laughter Yoga to decrease the patient’s stress is important.
· Chronic stress impacts the limbic system and hypothalamus which in turn disrupts the immune system.
Parkinson’s Disease:
· Controlled study with 24 participants.
· Laughter Yoga exercises can reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality in those suffering from Parkinson’s Disease
Laughter in Senior Adults:
Kuru Alici N, Arikan Dönmez A. A systematic review of the effect of laughter yoga on physical function and psychosocial outcomes in older adults. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2020;41:101252. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101252 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33217706/
A review of 3210 studies, 7 publications including 1 randomized controlled trial showed the following among older adults:
· Laughter Yoga showed both physical and psychological effects of LY
· Improvements in blood pressure, sleep quality, and cortisol levels
· Positive effect on anxiety, depression, mood, loneliness, and overall quality of life
Effects of Hearing Laughter:
Fujiwara Y, Okamura H. Hearing laughter improves the recovery process of the autonomic nervous system after a stress-loading task: a randomized controlled trial. Biopsychosoc Med. 2018;12:22. Published 2018 Dec 21. doi:10.1186/s13030-018-0141-0 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6302464/
· A study involving 90 Healthy students who were divided into a laughter group and a rest group
· After a stressful exercise, the Uchida-Kraepelin (U-K test), the laughter group listened to a 5-minute CD of laughter after the stressful exercise while the control group had a time of silence.
· Results suggest that hearing laughter may produce a relaxing effect by increasing parasympathetic nervous activity.