It turns out COPD may be a laughing matter after all

There's no underplaying the seriousness of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the third leading cause of death worldwide, but a new study suggests laughter may be the right response.

Researchers in Türkiye have shown in a clinical trial that laughter therapy can reduce breathing difficulties in COPD patients and is as effective as more traditional breathing exercises.

The research – which adds to earlier studies suggesting laughter therapy can help patients with cancer, diabetes, and kidney disease – was presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

In the trial, which included 63 people with COPD being treated at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, an exercise based on deliberate laughter was compared to conventional breathing exercises – in which patients are taught to breathe in through the nose and out slowly through pursed lips – and no exercises.

The laughter therapy – performed at home three times a week after face-to-face coaching – involved patients doing a series of playful exercises, including rhythmic clapping with vocal sounds, mimicking a motorcycle starting or a lion's roar, meditation with spontaneous, unforced laughter, and relaxation with calm breathing and smiling.

It's well-established that breathing exercises can improve symptoms in COPD by freeing stale air that remains trapped in the lungs, exacerbating feelings of breathlessness, and can complement the effects of medicines for COPD like bronchodilators and corticosteroids.

The new study showed that, after eight weeks, laughter therapy was as effective as breathing exercises in reducing breathlessness and improving the health status of patients compared to the control group, with the benefits sustained out to 12 weeks.

"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," said study investigator Dr Goncagul Aldan of Hacettepe University Faculty of Nursing in Ankara.

"Laughter may exercise the breathing muscles, promote deeper exhalation, and trigger the release of endorphins, offering both physical and emotional relief," she suggested. "Its accessible, enjoyable nature suggests it could […] 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."

She added that managing COPD requires more than medication alone, as patients need a holistic approach to help them cope with their symptoms, the physical burden of the disease, and its emotional and psychological impact.

"This is a small but well-run study looking at the potential benefits of laughter therapy or breathing exercises for people with COPD," commented Dr Marc Miravitlles, vice president of the ERS and a consultant at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona, who was not involved with the trial.

"These results, showing that patients can breathe more easily and feel better in general, are promising," he added. "Laughter therapy is simple and low-cost, meaning it could be used by anyone, anywhere in the world. We look forward to further research in this area."

Photo by Igor Rodrigues on Unsplash