Non-randomised trial, 2024
Does laughter yoga reduce PMS symptoms?
Yes. Women who did laughter yoga showed significant improvements in depression, anxiety, fatigue, irritability, pain, bloating, and sleep problems compared to women who received no treatment.
What they did
Quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study of 80 female nursing and midwifery students in Istanbul, Turkey with PMS. The intervention group (32 women) participated in twice-weekly laughter yoga (30-minute sessions with laughter exercises and breathing). The control group (48 women) received no treatment. Researchers measured PMS symptoms before and after the intervention.
What they found
The laughter yoga group showed significant decreases in depressive mood (P=.00), anxiety (P=.04), fatigue (P=.00), irritability (P=.01), depressive thoughts (P=.03), pain (P=.002), sleep changes (P=.004), and bloating (P=.001). After the intervention, the laughter yoga group had significantly lower fatigue (P=.03) and pain (P=.001) scores than the control group.
What it means for you
Laughter yoga may help reduce PMS symptoms, especially pain and fatigue. However, this was not a randomized controlled trial. Participants were assigned to groups by department, not randomly, so other differences could explain the results. The study was in university students in Turkey, so results may not apply to all women.
32
Laughter yoga group size
48
Control group size
30 minutes
Session duration
About the study
- Original title
- Effects of Laughter Yoga on Premenstrual Symptoms
- Authors
- Karali E, Gürkan ÖC
- Journal
- Alternative therapies in health and medicine
- Year
- 2024
- Study design
- Non-randomised trial
- Participants
- 80
- What was tested
- Laughter yoga twice-weekly in 30-minute sessions of laughter exercises and breathing
- Read the paper
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38518132/
Topics
Related studies
Lab study, 2026
Do core stability exercises help women with PMDD?
Survey study, 2020
Can teaching about yoga techniques improve girls' knowledge about managing PMS?
Survey study, 2019
What are the best ways to manage PMS?
Study, 2026
What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder?
Randomised trial, 2021
Does hypnotherapy reduce pain and emotional distress in women with PMDD?
Randomised trial, 2018
Does swimming reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms?