Laughter Could Be Great Medicine For COPD, Study Says

A study presented to the European Respiratory Society meeting in Barcelona, Spain, found laughter therapy can reduce breathlessness in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as effectively as pursed-lip breathing. Researchers reported that deliberate laughter exercises were able to significantly lessen the severity of symptoms, with benefits sustained even a month after the eight-week program ended. The findings were described by lecturer and nurse Goncagul Aldan of Hacettepe University Faculty of Nursing in Turkey, who said both interventions also showed promise for improving overall health. In the study, 63 Turkish COPD patients were split into three groups: laughter therapy, pursed-lip exercises, and no breathing exercises.