NCT06350747

The Effect of Laughter Yoga on Nurses' Perceived Stress, Sleep Quality, and Burnout Levels

The Effectiveness of Online and Face-to-Face Laughter Yoga on Nurses' Perceived Stress, Sleep Quality, and Burnout: A Three-Group Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 40 (actual)
• Sponsor: Celal Bayar University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 80 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The planned study aims to contribute to the existing literature by comparatively evaluating the effects of online and face-to-face laughter yoga interventions on nurses, focusing on stress, sleep quality, and burnout. In line with this purpose, the research hypotheses are as follows: H1. Laughter yoga intervention provided to nurses has a positive effect on their perceived stress levels. H2. Laughter yoga intervention provided to nurses has a positive effect on their sleep quality. H3. Laughter yoga intervention provided to nurses has a positive effect on their burnout levels. H4. There is a significant difference between the effects of online and face-to-face laughter yoga interventions.

Detailed description

This study investigated whether laughter yoga can help reduce stress, improve sleep, and prevent burnout among nurses. Nurses often work in challenging conditions with long shifts, which can negatively affect their mental and physical health. In this study, nurses were divided into three groups: one received face-to-face laughter yoga, another participated in laughter yoga online, and the third group did not receive any intervention. Laughter yoga sessions were conducted twice a week for two weeks and included deep breathing, playful activities, and laughter exercises. Participants completed surveys before and after the sessions to measure their stress levels, sleep quality, and signs of burnout. The results showed that nurses who participated in the online laughter yoga program experienced better sleep, felt less emotionally exhausted, and had a stronger sense of personal accomplishment. These benefits were not observed in the face-to-face or control groups. Interestingly, the program did not significantly reduce stress levels in any of the groups. This study suggests that online laughter yoga may be a useful and accessible tool to support the well-being of nurses, especially in healthcare settings where in-person wellness programs are difficult to organize.

Conditions

• Healthy Participants

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Face-to-Face Laughter Yoga Group	In this study, each laughter yoga session lasted approximately 30-40 minutes and consisted of four parts: hand clapping and warm-up exercises, deep breathing exercises, playful games, and laughter exercises. According to Kataria (2011), the first three parts remained consistent across all sessions, while the laughter exercises in the fourth part varied (Kataria 2011). In the first session of each new group, participants were introduced to laughter yoga, its purpose, and objectives, with 10 minutes allocated to this introductory section. As a result, the first session for each group lasted 40 minutes, while the remaining sessions were 30 minutes each. The structure and duration of each session were as follows: * Section 1: Hand Clapping and Warm-up Exercises - 5 minutes * Section 2: Deep Breathing Exercises - 10 minutes * Section 3: Playful Games - 5 minutes * Section 4: Laughter Exercises - 10 minutes
BEHAVIORAL	Online Laughter Yoga Group	In this study, each laughter yoga session lasted approximately 30-40 minutes and consisted of four parts: hand clapping and warm-up exercises, deep breathing exercises, playful games, and laughter exercises. According to Kataria (2011), the first three parts remained consistent across all sessions, while the laughter exercises in the fourth part varied (Kataria 2011). In the first session of each new group, participants were introduced to laughter yoga, its purpose, and objectives, with 10 minutes allocated to this introductory section. As a result, the first session for each group lasted 40 minutes, while the remaining sessions were 30 minutes each. The structure and duration of each session were as follows: * Section 1: Hand Clapping and Warm-up Exercises - 5 minutes * Section 2: Deep Breathing Exercises - 10 minutes * Section 3: Playful Games - 5 minutes * Section 4: Laughter Exercises - 10 minutes
OTHER	control group	Participants in the control group will not receive the laughter yoga intervention. They will continue with their usual daily routines and will only complete pre- and post-test assessments.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-04-01
• Primary completion: 2025-02-10
• Completion: 2025-03-10
• First posted: 2024-04-05
• Last updated: 2025-05-20

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)