Laughter makes the stress of life feel less overwhelming

Laughter may be a potent ally for mental and physical health. Around the world, scientists are exploring how structured laughter sessions can help calm anxiety and lift life satisfaction, and they’re finding that these activities deliver real results.

Laughter is not unique to humans. From apes to rats, many animals share this response, hinting at its deep evolutionary roots. In people, laughter can strengthen social bonds, build trust, and even help babies develop an early sense of self.

Hospitals have also discovered the healing potential of laughter. For example, children who receive visits from clowns often recover and go home sooner.

Studying laughter therapy

Yelsyn-Mauricio Porras-Jiménez of the University of Jaén in Spain wanted to improve health in all dimensions. “Not just the physical, but also the spiritual and emotional,” he noted. This led him to study laughter therapy’s role in holistic care.

Porras-Jiménez and his team analyzed 33 studies from the U.S., Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Participants ranged from nursing students to patients in end-of-life care, surgery candidates, IVF patients, and individuals facing depression or burnout.

The laughter therapy methods varied – some joined laughter yoga classes, others watched comedic films, took part in guided group laughs, or enjoyed visits from hospital clowns.

“Unlike spontaneous humour, laughter therapy is a structured and deliberate intervention that uses techniques such as laughter yoga, guided group sessions, or therapeutic clowning to induce laughter as a means of generating psycho-emotional benefits,” noted the researchers.

Benefits of laughter therapy

Each study included two groups: one that received laughter therapy and another that continued with standard care or no intervention. The data was striking.

On an anxiety scale from 0 to 100, the control group averaged around 60. The laughter therapy group scored 8 to 10 points lower. Life satisfaction told a similar story – the control group averaged 50, while the laughter group scored 10 to 12 points higher.

Sophie Scott of University College London acknowledged that because participants knew they were part of a special activity, the placebo effect could be influencing results. But this doesn’t discount the measurable physiological effects of laughter.

Laughing can lower cortisol, the stress hormone, and trigger the release of endorphins – natural brain chemicals that boost mood.

“It’s hard to say whether it’s because of the laughter or because of the social context in which you felt comfortable enough to laugh,” said Scott. “I suspect it’s both.”

Why laughter therapy helps

Positive psychology research shows that humor-based activities can help reframe stressful situations, turning them into challenges that feel less overwhelming.

Laughter can encourage optimism, which in turn is linked to stronger immune function, better heart health, and more resilience in the face of adversity. Over time, humor-based habits can help people adapt more easily to life’s unexpected turns.

Laughter therapy is increasingly being explored in mental health treatment, palliative care, and rehabilitation. In recovery settings, it can energize patients, improve motivation, and increase participation in therapy.

In palliative care, it offers moments of connection and joy during difficult times. The affordability and low risk of laughter therapy make it accessible in community programs, workplaces, and educational settings.

Some research even suggests that laughter can improve pain tolerance, partly due to the release of endorphins and the relaxed muscle state that follows a good laugh. Combined with social bonding, it creates a unique emotional buffer against stress.

More than just a mood boost

The power of laughter may lie in its ability to work on multiple levels at once – biological, psychological, and social.

Laughter engages the body’s stress-reduction systems, strengthens relationships, and reframes how we experience challenges. Even if part of the effect is placebo, the benefits remain real and tangible.

Whether it’s through a clown’s antics in a hospital room, a stand-up show with friends, or a spontaneous giggle fit at home, laughter therapy offers a joyful, low-cost way to support mental and emotional well-being – and perhaps add a little more lightness to everyday life.

The study is published in the Journal of Happiness Studies.

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