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NCT Number: NCT07435545

Effect of Laughter Yoga on Menopausal Symptoms, Sleep, and Quality of Life in Menopausal Women

This study aims to provide meaningful contributions to both academic literature and clinical nursing practice by examining laughter yoga, a non-pharmacological, evidence-based, and feasible intervention for quality of life and sleep problems commonly encountered during menopause. Menopause is a natural stage of life that can be associated with physical and psychological symptoms affecting daily life. Laughter yoga, a group-based complementary method, is based on the philosophy that "movement creates emotion" and aims to transform voluntary laughter into natural and genuine laughter over time. Laughter yoga consists of clapping and warm-up exercises, childlike games, deep breathing techniques, laughter exercises, and meditation stages. Thanks to its physiological and psychological effects, it supports individuals' overall well-being.

In this study, participants will be divided into two groups: an intervention group and a control group. A pre-test will be administered to both groups to assess menopause symptoms, sleep quality, and quality of life. The intervention group will undergo eight sessions of laughter yoga, while the control group will not receive any intervention during the study period. A post-test will be administered to both groups after the intervention to evaluate its effectiveness.

The results of the study are expected to contribute to determining whether laughter yoga is an effective supportive approach during menopause. It is particularly important in terms of establishing a scientific basis for the integration of complementary treatment approaches into the menopause period and ensuring that they can be integrated with nursing care.

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Key information

Conditions

Menopause Dyssomnias Mental Disorders Nervous System Diseases Sleep Disorders, Intrinsic Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders Sleep Wake Disorders

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Mamak Aile Merkezleri

Ankara, 06260, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location contact

Derya UZUNCA, BSc, RN

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Derya Uzunca, BSc, RN

CONTACT

[email protected]

5071720400

Prof.Dr. Gülten Güvenç, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

About this study

This study is designed as a controlled trial involving women in the menopause period, with participants individually randomized using a simple randomization method. The study will be conducted at a family health center affiliated with the Mamak Cultural Center Coordination in Ankara, Turkey.

Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to either the laughter yoga intervention group or the control group at a 1:1 ratio using a computer-generated randomization sequence. Following the pre-test, the intervention group will receive a total of eight laughter yoga sessions over four weeks, twice a week. No intervention will be administered to the control group during the study period.

Menopause symptoms, sleep quality, and menopause-specific quality of life will be assessed using pre-test and post-test measurements. This study aims to determine the effect of laughter yoga on changes experienced during menopause and on sleep and quality of life.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Being in the menopause period
  • Having sufficient proficiency in understanding and expressing oneself in Turkish
  • Agreeing to participate in the study
  • Having physical and cognitive competence
  • Not having a diagnosis of mental disorder
  • Not using hormone therapy or complementary treatments for menopause symptoms

Exclusion criteria

  • Not participating in laughter yoga sessions
  • Withdrawing from the study during the research phase
  • Incomplete filling out of data collection forms
  • Having contraindications for laughter yoga (Bleeding hemorrhoids, psychiatric disorders, epilepsy, undergoing surgery within the last 3 months, and similar conditions)

Treatment and study plan

Laughter Yoga

Behavioral

The intervention consists of a total of 8 laughter yoga sessions, with 2 sessions per week for four weeks. Each laughter yoga session is planned to last an average of 20 minutes. Each session will begin with clapping and warm-up exercises and continue with childlike games, deep breathing exercises, and laughter exercises. It will end with meditation. It is a group-based practice, and the aim is to increase psychosocial well-being by transforming fake laughter into real laughter and to benefit from the physiological effects of laughter.

Other names: Laughter Therapy

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Menopausal Symptoms

    Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the 4-week intervention

    Menopause symptoms will be assessed using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). Changes in total MRS scores from baseline to post-intervention will be compared between the intervention group and the control group.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in Sleep Quality

    Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the 4-week intervention

    Sleep quality will be assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Changes in PSQI scores at baseline and after the 4-week intervention will be compared between groups.

  2. Change in Menopause-Specific Quality of Life

    Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the 4-week intervention

    Quality of life will be assessed using the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL). Changes in MENQOL scores at baseline and after the 4-week intervention will be compared between the intervention and control groups.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Derya UZUNCA, BSc, RN

CONTACT

[email protected]

+905071720400

Prof. Dr. Gülten Güvenç, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Evaluation of the Effects of Laughter Yoga on Menopausal Symptoms, Sleep, and Quality of Life in Menopausal Women

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Feb 27, 2026
Registry last updated
Mar 2, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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