Laughter therapy is no laughing matter. Structured activities designed to elicit joy, such as laughter yoga and hospital clowns, appear to significantly lower anxiety levels and enhance life satisfaction.

Laughing, a behavior observed in various animal species, is believed to boost social bonds and may assist infants in developing their self-identity. Research indicates that interventions involving clowns lead to shorter hospital stays for children.

Yelsynyn-Mauricio Porras-Jiménez from Jaen University in Spain aims to enhance people’s holistic well-being. “It’s not solely about physical health; mental and emotional aspects are crucial,” he notes. “I discovered laughter therapy while exploring ways to implement holistic care effectively.”

Porras-Jiménez and his team performed a meta-analysis of 33 studies from the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The participants included nursing students as well as individuals receiving terminal care, undergoing surgeries, in vitro fertilization, or those grappling with depression or burnout.

Each study divided participants into two groups. One group engaged in various laughter therapy activities, such as laughter yoga, clown visits, watching entertaining films, or joining guided laughter sessions. The second group served as a control, maintaining standard care or receiving no interventions.

Results demonstrated a consistent link between laughter therapy and decreased anxiety, alongside heightened life satisfaction. In one measurement of anxiety on a scale of 0-100, the control group’s average score was around 60, while the laughter therapy group scored 8-10 points lower. Regarding life satisfaction, the control group’s score averaged 50, with the laughter therapy group scoring 10-12 points higher.

However, participants were aware they were partaking in laughter therapy, which raises questions about potential placebo effects, according to Sophie Scott from University College London.

Nonetheless, laughter triggers physiological changes correlated with reduced anxiety, she adds. Research shows lowered cortisol levels, a stress hormone, and increased endorphins, neurotransmitters that foster feelings of happiness.

“It’s challenging to determine if the benefits arise from laughter itself or from the social environment that encourages comfortable laughter,” Scott remarks. “It seems to be a combination of both.”