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New research presented at ERS 2026 explores laughter therapy as a potential breathing exercise for people living with COPD.
Laughter may be good for the soul, but could it also be good for the lungs?
New research presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress 2026 in Barcelona explored that surprising question. A clinical trial in Türkiye found that deliberate laughter exercises may help reduce breathlessness and improve health related quality of life in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The findings are preliminary, and researchers emphasize that larger studies are needed. But the results offer an interesting look at another potential approach to managing one of COPD’s most challenging symptoms: breathlessness.
What Did the Study Find?
The randomized clinical trial included 63 people with COPD, divided into three groups:
- Laughter therapy
- Pursed lip breathing
- A control group
The laughter and pursed lip breathing groups practiced their respective techniques for approximately 30 minutes, three times a week for eight weeks.
The laughter exercises were more structured than simply having a good laugh. Participants practiced rhythmic clapping and vocal exercises, playful laughter, laughter meditation, and relaxation techniques.
After eight weeks, both the laughter therapy and pursed lip breathing groups experienced reduced breathlessness compared with the control group, along with improvements in overall health status. The reduction in breathlessness was still evident one month after the intervention ended.
Why Laughter?
Researchers are still working to understand exactly why laughter may affect breathing.
Deliberate laughter engages the respiratory muscles and involves repeated, active exhalation. Researchers also point to potential physical and emotional effects associated with laughter.
But this is where some caution is important.
This was a small study, and laughter therapy is not an established treatment for COPD. More research is needed to determine whether these results can be replicated in larger and more diverse patient populations.
The study’s researchers describe laughter therapy as a potential addition to existing COPD care, rather than a replacement for medication, pulmonary rehabilitation, or other established approaches.
The Bigger Picture: Understanding Breathlessness
What makes this research particularly interesting is the broader question it raises about how respiratory professionals understand and manage breathlessness.
A patient’s experience of shortness of breath is important, but symptoms are only one part of the clinical picture. Objective respiratory testing can provide measurable information about how the lungs and cardiovascular system are functioning.
At MGC Diagnostics, we believe better respiratory care starts with better understanding of how patients breathe.
Pulmonary function testing can provide objective measurements of airflow and lung mechanics, while cardiopulmonary exercise testing can help clinicians evaluate how the respiratory and cardiovascular systems respond to exercise.
Together with symptoms, medical history, and other clinical information, these measurements can help clinicians develop a more complete picture of respiratory health.
What Comes Next?
The researchers behind the ERS 2026 study plan to conduct larger studies to further evaluate the potential benefits of laughter therapy for people living with COPD.
For now, the findings offer an intriguing reminder that respiratory care continues to evolve, sometimes in unexpected ways. While it’s too early to know whether laughter will become a recognized tool for managing breathlessness, the results suggest it may be worth exploring further.
At MGC Diagnostics, we’re proud to support the respiratory professionals working to better understand how patients breathe, exercise, and respond to care. And while more research is needed before laughter can become part of established COPD care, a little more smiling, connection, and enjoyment certainly can’t hurt along the way.
It’s too early to say, but it’s certainly worth studying. After all, if future research confirms the benefits, laughter may prove to be good for more than just the soul.
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Learn more about MGC Diagnostics’ pulmonary function and cardiopulmonary exercise testing solutions.
Sources
European Respiratory Society, Laughter therapy can help people with COPD breathe more easily, ERS Congress 2026.
Aldan G. et al., The Effect of Pursed Lip Breathing Exercise and Laughter Therapy on Dyspnea, Health Status, and Care Dependence in Individuals With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05997550.