Supplements

Online laughter yoga improves sleep quality and reduces burnout symptoms in nurses

In a pilot randomized trial with 47 nurses, online laughter yoga significantly improved sleep quality (p=0.009), emotional exhaustion (p=0.006), and personal accomplishment (p=0.006) with large effect sizes, while face-to-face and control groups showed no significant changes. No significant differences in perceived stress were observed across groups.

Last updated: Aug 3, 2026•1 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score44/100
Human RCT★★☆☆☆
Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Online vs. face-to-face laughter yoga to support nurses' well-being: A pilot randomized trial.

observational

Topsakal Ö, Erdenilgen Ö, Yılmaz R, Dönmez P · Work (Reading, Mass.) (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: 2 weeks
Intervention: Four sessions of online laughter yoga delivered over two weeks
Outcome: Sleep quality (Jenkins Sleep Scale), burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory: emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment)
Effect Size: Large effect sizes (specific values not reported in abstract)
Population: Nurses working in shift-based and demanding clinical settings at a public hospital

Result:

PubMed: 42530535DOI: 10.1177/10519815261472875

Mechanism Graph

Laughter yoga induces physiological relaxation
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Reduces cortisol and stress-related hormones
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Improves mood and emotional regulation
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Result: Enhanced sleep quality and reduced burnout symptoms

Limitations

  • ⚠Small sample size (n=47) limits generalizability
  • ⚠Technical barriers such as internet access and connectivity issues may affect online delivery
  • ⚠Pilot study with no long-term follow-up data

Frequently Asked Questions

What is online laughter yoga?▼

Online laughter yoga is a virtual group intervention combining laughter exercises with yogic breathing, delivered via video conferencing.

How many sessions were needed to see improvements?▼

The study used four sessions over two weeks, and significant improvements in sleep and burnout were observed postintervention.

Did the face-to-face laughter yoga group show any benefits?▼

No, the face-to-face group did not show statistically significant changes in sleep quality or burnout in this pilot study.

Is online laughter yoga effective for reducing stress in nurses?▼

The study found no significant changes in perceived stress levels for any group, but online laughter yoga improved sleep and burnout symptoms.

Products

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References

  1. 1.Topsakal Ö, Erdenilgen Ö, Yılmaz R, Dönmez P. "Online vs. face-to-face laughter yoga to support nurses' well-being: A pilot randomized trial.." Work (Reading, Mass.), 2026. PMID: 42530535 DOI: 10.1177/10519815261472875
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.