Exercise during dialysis was the focus of a world-first conference in Calgary, Canada, recently, and Australian Professor Paul Bennett was one of the speakers, presenting how laughter yoga had proven to be a viable, safe and positive activity in Melbourne.
Laughter yoga has been used in a Queensland hospital too, results of Logan Hospital haemodialysis unit’s trial published this year in the Renal Society of Australasia Journal.
Laughter yoga made life lighter, brighter and less painful for patients with kidney disease receiving dialysis, the research found, supporting patients’ wellbeing by:
- improving mood
- reducing stress
- lowering the perception of pain.
Patients found it easier to deal with challenging feelings and were better able to relax too.
Laughter leader and assistant in nursing Dawn Moyle delivered weekly laughter yoga exercise sessions to 16 patients while they were connected to their dialysis machines.
Wellbeing areas measured before and after the four-week trial included general satisfaction with life and health as well as levels of pain and ability to relax.