The effect of 8 weeks of laughter yoga training on cardiorespiratory indices in adolescent girls aged 13-15 in Shahrekord.

Background and Objective: Adolescence is a pivotal stage in the development of physical and mental health. Mind-body interventions, such as laughter yoga, have garnered increasing attention as innovative methods for enhancing overall well-being, particularly in the context of improving cardiorespiratory function. This study examined the impact of an 8-week laughter yoga intervention on the cardiorespiratory performance of adolescent girls. Methods: This semi-experimental study utilized a pretest-posttest control group design conducted during the 2023-2024 academic year. A total of 64 female students aged 13-15 years from Shahrekord were randomly allocated to an intervention group (laughter yoga) or a control group. The intervention comprised sixteen 40-min laughter yoga sessions. Cardiac, pulmonary, and metabolic indices were assessed pre- and postintervention. Data were analyzed using statistical package for the social sciences software with a significance threshold of P < 0.05. Results: In the intervention group, significant reductions were observed in fasting blood sugar (P = 0.001), triglyceride (P = 0.003), total cholesterol (P = 0.002), systolic blood pressure (P = 0.003), diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.041), and heart rate (P = 0.002) levels. High-density lipoprotein levels were significantly increased (P = 0.027). Regarding cardiac function, the stroke volume (P = 0.031) and cardiac output index (P = 0.004) showed significant improvements. In terms of respiratory indices, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) (P = 0.015), FEV1/FVC (P = 0.035), and forced expiratory flow 25-75% (P = 0.002) significantly increased, while forced expiratory time decreased (P = 0.001). Conclusion: Laughter yoga may be considered a calm, accessible, and nonpharmacological approach to enhancing cardiorespiratory and metabolic health in adolescent girls.