Essential
- A meta-analysis shows that laughter strongly reduces anxiety and increases life satisfaction.
- Laughter yoga obtains the most marked effects, especially face -to -face.
- Researchers recommend encourage this practice to complete well-being approaches.
Can you really appease your anxieties and boost your well-being simply by … laughing? According to a meta-analysis from the University of Jaén, Spain, “Laughter therapy could be beneficial to reduce anxiety levels and improve life satisfaction.” To achieve this observation, the researchers sift through 33 randomized clinical trials, carried out between 1991 and 2024, bringing together a total of 2,159 adults, including around 74 % women.
A significant impact on anxiety
The results, published in the Journal of Happiness Studiesare striking: for the management of anxiety, the effect is “large” (SMD, for Standardized Mean Differences = -0.83), and for life satisfaction, even more marked (SMD = 0.98). Researchers recall that an SMD of 0.8 or more is considered important. Among the different approaches, the yoga of laughter is distinguished: effect “Very wide” on anxiety (SMD = -1.02) and on life satisfaction (SMD = 1.28).
Compared to the total absence of therapeutic intervention, laughter therapy has a major effect on life satisfaction (SMD = 1.53) and anxiety (SMD = -1.02). Compared to the usual care, the effects remain positive but more moderate (SMD = -0.51 for anxiety and SMD = 0.19 for satisfaction). Interesting fact: online therapy sessions, however, seem ineffective against anxiety (SMD = -0.03). The authors see it as possible “of an active social interaction component” In the therapeutic effect, we can read in a press release.
A potential to exploit
These works are more widely part of positive psychology, which links anxiety management and life satisfaction to global psychological well-being. If laughter does not replace medical treatment, it could constitute a precious, accessible and without significant side effects.
Researchers encourage the continuation of randomized clinical trials to “Strengthen evidence and promote this type of therapy more frequently”. A good reason, perhaps, to take a little more often time … laughing out loud.
