Laughter as a Healing Tool: Exploring Its Therapeutic Benefits
Discover how laughter therapy can significantly reduce anxiety and improve life satisfaction, offering a simple and effective approach to mental well-being.
Laughter has long been recognized as a natural response to joy, but recent research highlights its potential as a powerful therapeutic modality. A comprehensive study by investigators at the University of Jaén analyzed data from 33 randomized controlled trials spanning over three decades, involving a total of 2,159 adults. The findings suggest that laughter therapy can significantly reduce anxiety levels and enhance overall life satisfaction.
These trials, conducted between 1991 and 2024, included diverse participants from healthcare and social settings, with a majority being women. Researchers used standardized measures called standardized mean differences (SMD) to quantify effects across different scales. The results indicated a large effect size for anxiety reduction (SMD = -0.83), implying a meaningful decrease in anxiety symptoms, and an even larger effect on increasing life satisfaction (SMD = 0.98).
Further subgroup analysis revealed that laughter yoga, a structured form of laughter therapy, produced large effects on anxiety (SMD = -1.02) and life satisfaction (SMD = 1.28). Interestingly, online laughter interventions showed minimal effects on anxiety, which could point to the importance of social interaction inherent in in-person therapy sessions.
The study’s authors suggest that laughter therapy could be a valuable addition to mental health strategies, particularly for anxiety management and improving overall well-being. However, they also call for more rigorous randomized controlled trials to further validate these findings and encourage the integration of laughter-based therapies into mainstream mental health practices.
This research underscores the potential of laughter as a simple, accessible, and effective tool to promote mental health. Incorporating laughter into daily routines might be a cheerful way to boost psychological resilience and life satisfaction, making it a promising area for future exploration in mental health and wellness.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-laughter-therapeutic-medicine.html
Stay Updated with Mia's Feed
Get the latest health & wellness insights delivered straight to your inbox.
Related Articles
Implementing On-Site Therapy for Critical Care Nurses Can Lower Burnout Rates
Embedding a dedicated therapist within critical care units can significantly reduce nurse burnout and turnover, improving mental health and resilience among healthcare professionals.
Moving Beyond Good and Bad: Embracing Curiosity to Enrich Your Perspective
Discover how shifting from binary judgments to curiosity enhances your psychological richness, fosters creativity, and deepens your connection with the world around you.
Cultural Influence on Mental Health Recovery: Insights from a Global Study
A groundbreaking study reveals how national cultural values influence the success and structure of mental health Recovery Colleges worldwide, emphasizing the need for culturally tailored approaches to mental health support.
Challenges in Rehabilitation for Adolescents with Cannabis Use Disorder in the US
A recent study highlights low treatment completion rates among US adolescents with cannabis use disorder, emphasizing the need for tailored interventions to improve recovery outcomes for youth.