A clinical trial at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Barcelona reported that deliberate laughter sessions eased shortness of breath in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The effect was on par with pursed-lip breathing, a technique nurses already teach.
The finding was presented on September 6, 2026 by Dr Goncagul Aldan, a lecturer and nurse from Hacettepe University Faculty of Nursing in Ankara, Türkiye.
COPD is a long-term lung condition, most often caused by smoking, that narrows the airways and damages the tiny air sacs of the lungs.
Also read: Why your morning coffee can send you straight to the toilet
It leaves people breathless during simple tasks such as walking or dressing.
Nearly 16 million American adults have been diagnosed with COPD, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the agency lists it among the top 10 causes of death in the country.
How the trial was run
The researchers randomly assigned 63 patients at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital to one of three groups of 21.
One group did laughter therapy, one did pursed-lip breathing, and one served as a control.
Also read: Experts reveal the best temperature for your drinking water
Each session ran 30 minutes, three times a week, for eight weeks. Patients received support by video call and text message.
Pursed-lip breathing is a technique in which the patient breathes in through the nose and slowly out through pursed lips.
This helps keep the airways open longer during exhalation.
The laughter sessions were built around rhythmic clapping paired with vocal sounds, playful exercises mimicking a motorcycle starting or a lion's roar, spells of spontaneous laughter, and short relaxation periods with calm breathing and smiling.
Also read: It has more potassium than bananas. Gold for the heart and muscles
What they found
Both intervention groups had less difficulty breathing than the control group, and the benefit was still there at the one-month follow-up.
The active interventions also improved patients' general sense of health, with no meaningful difference between them.
Laughter, Dr Aldan suggested, may exercise the breathing muscles, promote deeper exhalation and trigger the release of endorphins.
Dr Marc Miravitlles, vice president of the European Respiratory Society, said the intervention costs almost nothing.
Also read: After 65, your body's needs change – here's how you should eat
What patients and caregivers can take from this
This is one small trial, not a change in guidelines.
It involved 63 patients at a single hospital and has not been published in a peer-reviewed journal. It does not tell doctors to swap therapies.
Standard COPD care - inhaled medication, pulmonary rehabilitation, quitting smoking and vaccinations - remains the foundation of treatment.
Anyone with new or worsening shortness of breath should speak to their doctor rather than self-treat.
Also read: A chemo side effect that hits millions may be preventable
Many people with COPD go years without a diagnosis. It is worth knowing the early warning signs of the disease, especially in current or former smokers.
None of the laughter techniques used in the Turkish trial require equipment or medication.
Patients can practice them at home alongside their prescribed treatment, with no cost and no supervision needed.
This article is made and published by Ida-Marie Palm Varbæk, who may have used AI in the preparation.