Research validates years of worldwide empirical evidence: Laughter therapy is a useful, cost-effective and easily accessible intervention that has positive effects on depression, insomnia, and sleep quality in the elderly

Research Title: Effects of laughter therapy on depression, cognition and sleep among the community-dwelling elderly
Aim of the research: To investigate the effects of laughter therapy on depression, cognitive function, quality of life, and sleep of the elderly in a community.
Methods: Between July and September 2007, the total study sample consisted of 109 subjects aged over 65 divided into two groups; 48 subjects in the laughter therapy group and 61 subjects in the control group. The subjects in the laughter therapy group underwent laughter therapy four times over 1 month. We compared Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Short-Form Health Survey-36 (SF-36), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) between the two groups before and after laughter therapy.
Conclusion: Laughter therapy is considered to be useful, cost-effective and easily accessible intervention that has positive effects on depression, insomnia, and sleep quality in the elderly.

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2013-05-12T18:41:46-07:00By Sebastian Gendry|

About the Author: Sebastian Gendry

Sebastian Gendry is a change-maker, coach and consultant with a passion for laughter. He has helped thousands of heart-centered and wellness conscious professionals and entrepreneurs ready to step into their full potential re-align with their mojo, magic and a meaningful life, having fun making a difference - because living your purpose is supposed to be fun! Since 2005 he has travelled close to 1 million miles bringing laughter and joy to thousands of people in 18 countries on 6 continents. He is the head of faculty of the Laughter Online University, the world's #1 online platform on laughter medicine, and is the creator of the Laughter Wellness method, a refreshing, reliable and rapid-acting system that combines multiple aspects of mirth, integrative movements, mindfulness, meditation and manifesting tools to improve all aspects of wellness and well-being and up-level your life. He has appeared in 100+ newspapers and magazines and two TEDx talks, as well as major TV shows, including the Oprah Winfrey Show, 60 minutes and ABC Good Morning America. He encapsulates and shares the power of positive and playful energy and creativity. His life mission is to move the world to wellness with the magic of laughter, so that we can live not just in harmony but also in melody.

2 Comments

Zyrus August 13, 2018 at 2:53 pm

name of the Researchers?
Sebastien Gendry May 17, 2019 at 2:15 pm

It’s all over the place, but for that you have to look. See https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=laughter+therapy&btnG=

Research validates years of worldwide empirical evidence: Laughter therapy is a useful, cost-effective and easily accessible intervention that has positive effects on depression, insomnia, and sleep quality in the elderly