Abstract
BACKGROUND: The large number of people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) with anxiety or depression in China is a cause of concern. Sustained aerobic exercise is a promising therapy for delaying motor disabilities in people with PD. Laughter yoga is an aerobic training program that has proven to be beneficial in affecting the mental and physical aspects of healthy individuals, but its effect on anxiety and depression in people with PD has not been studied in controlled trials. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of laughter yoga on anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and quality of life in people with PD. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial design was used in this study. Ninety-four participants were randomly divided into two groups: 47 in the control group and 47 in the laughter yoga group. All participants received disease-related health education. The intervention group performed laughter yoga exercises, which consisted of two team exercises and five autonomous exercises per week. Participants exercised 20 min per session for 8 weeks. The primary outcomes were the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) scores. The secondary outcomes were Parkinson’s Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS) and Parkinson’s Disease Quality of Life Scale-39 (PDQ-39) scores. RESULTS: Ninety-four participants were included in the study. At baseline, there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of any demographic, anthropometric, clinical, or outcome characteristics. After intervention, the HAMA and HAMD scores were significantly lower in the laughter yoga group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Additionally, the PDQ-39 score was significantly lower in the laughter yoga group than in the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the PDSS scores between the laughter yoga and control groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The study results indicate that laughter yoga is an effective intervention for reducing anxiety and depression symptoms and improving the quality of life in people with PD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered retrospectively on May 30, 2022 (ChiCTR2200060401). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12906-025-05225-x.