A new study indicates that for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), “laughter therapy” is comparable to the classic “pursed-lip breathing” technique in relieving breathlessness. The study was presented on September 7, 2026, at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
Pursed-lip breathing is a common rehabilitation technique for patients with COPD: inhale through the nose, then exhale slowly through pursed lips. The new study shows that deliberately practicing laughter can also significantly reduce patients’ shortness of breath, and this improvement persisted one month after the course ended.
Study Design and Methods
Goncagul Aldan, lecturer and nurse at the Hacettepe University Faculty of Nursing in Turkey, said the team randomly divided 63 Turkish patients with COPD into three groups:
Laughter therapy group (3 times per week, 30 minutes each time, for 8 weeks);
Pursed-lip breathing training group (the same frequency and duration);
Control group (no breathing training).
Laughter training included rhythmic clapping, vocal exercises, playful “fake laughter” movements such as imitating a motorcycle starting, and spontaneous, unforced genuine laughter.
Why Might Laughter Be “On Target”?
Aldan explained that when patients with COPD exhale, small airways tend to collapse, causing stale air to become trapped in the lungs. Pursed-lip breathing creates slight back pressure, helping to expel trapped gas, slow the breathing rate, and make patients feel more in control of their breathing.
Laughter works through a similar mechanism—it exercises the respiratory muscles, promotes deeper exhalation, and stimulates endorphin release, bringing both physiological and emotional relief. “Laughter therapy aims to trigger the body’s genuine laughter effect,” Aldan added.
Not Only Breathing, but Overall Health
The study also found that both interventions improved patients’ overall health. Aldan emphasized that COPD management cannot rely on medication alone and requires “holistic care”—addressing both symptoms and physical burden, as well as the emotional and psychological impact of the disease.
“These results offer hope: simple, low-cost techniques that require no equipment or professional support and that patients can practice at home can effectively reduce breathlessness and improve daily well-being,” she said. She noted that both laughter therapy and pursed-lip breathing can serve as useful supplements to existing COPD treatment (medication + pulmonary rehabilitation programs).
Expert Evaluation and Next Steps
Dr. Marc Miravitlles, Vice President of the European Respiratory Society, praised the study as “small but rigorously designed.” He pointed out that laughter therapy is simple and inexpensive and can be promoted anywhere in the world, and said he looks forward to larger studies to validate it.
Currently, Aldan’s team has planned to expand the sample size to further explore the value of laughter therapy in the long-term management of COPD.
