Abstract

Stress is one of the foremost contributors to the development of psychiatric diseases. Since the prevalence of stress-related complaints is increasing, we are in need for affordable and effective treatment alternatives. Laughter yoga (LY), a popular method encouraging participants to simulate laughter and participate in yogic breathing exercises, is hypothesized to buffer negative effects of stress. Although widely practiced, empirical evidence for beneficial effects of LY is scarce. We investigated the acute effects of a single 30-min LY session on the autonomic, endocrine and psychological response to a standardized psychosocial stressor. Thirty-five healthy subjects (51% female) were randomly assigned to experience either a LY (n = 11), a relaxation breathing (n = 12) or a (non-intervention) control (n = 12) session prior to their exposure to the Trier Social Stress Test for Groups (TSST-G). Salivary cortisol, salivary alpha amylase, and subjective stress were assessed repeatedly throughout the experiment. We expected that LY and relaxation breathing group each show a downregulation of stress response indices compared to the control group. Further, we expected that LY has beneficial effects compared to relaxation breathing. The groups did not differ in salivary cortisol, alpha amylase or subjective stress reactivity during the 30-min intervention. However, in response to the TSST-G, the LY, but neither the relaxation breathing, nor the control condition, showed an attenuated cortisol stress response. These findings highlight the potential of LY to buffer the endocrine stress response. Therefore, LY could be used as a cheap and easily-to-implement add-on to more traditional stress interventions.

• LAY SUMMARY

• In recent years, more and more people have reported to feel stressed. Although our body is well equipped to deal with acute stress, chronic stress can tire our system and contribute to illness in the long run. Therefore, we need affordable and effective measures to reduce stress. In this study we have investigated whether a single laughter yoga session can help us to deal with acute stress. Although laughter yoga did not change how stressful a situation was perceived, it reduced the amount of stress hormones that were released in response to the situation. As such, laughter yoga might be a cheap and easily-to-implement add-on to more traditional stress reduction interventions.

摘要

压力是精神疾病发展的最重要因素之一。由于与压力有关的投诉的患病率正在上升，因此我们需要负担得起且有效的治疗选择。据推测，笑瑜伽（LY）是一种鼓励参与者模拟笑声并参加瑜伽呼吸练习的流行方法，被认为可以缓解压力的负面影响。尽管得到了广泛的实践，但是关于LY有益作用的经验证据很少。我们调查了一次30分钟的LY疗程对自主神经，内分泌和心理反应对标准心理社会压力源的急性影响。随机分配了35名健康受试者（51％为女性）进行LY（n  = 11），放松呼吸（n = 12）或（非干预）控制（n = 12），然后再参加小组Trier社会压力测试（TSST-G）。在整个实验过程中，反复评估唾液皮质醇，唾液α淀粉酶和主观应激。我们期望LY和放松呼吸组与对照组相比均显示出应激反应指数的下调。此外，我们期望LY与放松呼吸相比具有有益的作用。在30分钟的干预过程中，两组的唾液皮质醇，α淀粉酶或主观应激反应性无差异。然而，对TSST-G的反应，LY，但放松呼吸和对照条件均未显示皮质醇应激反应减弱。这些发现突出了LY缓冲内分泌应激反应的潜力。因此，

• 图层摘要

• 近年来，越来越多的人报告感到压力。尽管我们的身体具备应付急性压力的能力，但长期压力会使我们的系统疲惫并从长远来看会助长疾病。因此，我们需要负担得起的有效措施来减轻压力。在这项研究中，我们调查了一次笑瑜伽课是否可以帮助我们应对急性压力。尽管笑瑜伽并没有改变人们对压力的感知，但它减少了因这种情况而释放的压力荷尔蒙。因此，笑瑜珈可能是更便宜的传统压力减轻干预措施的一种廉价且易于实现的附加功能。