Laughter Yoga for Patients with Hypertension, India

Objective: To evaluate the effects of laughter Yoga on selected haemodynamic variable of hypertensive patients. Design: quasi experimental design. Setting: Magalir Maruthava Maiyam Veeriamplayam, Coimbatore. Sample: Forty samples diagnosed to have hypertension were selected for the study, of which 20 were assigned to the control group. Outcome measures: Haemodynamic variables namely blood pressure pulse and mean arterial pressure were measured before each session of laughter Yoga and after laughter Yoga and recorded. Intervention: laughter Yoga techniques were practiced by the patients for 20-30 minutes. It was given at one session per day for 5 days. Results: Subjects who received laughter Yoga reported significant reduction in blood pressure of 125.15/82.2.25 mm of Hg than 140.50/91.50mm of Hg in control group, pulse 79.86 than87.6 in control group, MAP of 97.79 than 108.33 in control group. There was no association between haemodynamic variable and demographic variables of age, sex and BMI. Conclusion: The results supported that the incorporation of laughter Yoga as one of the best alternative therapy to reduce hypertension.