Nervous Laughter: Causes, Psychology, Tips, and More Health ConditionsFeaturedBreast CancerIBD MigraineMultiple Sclerosis (MS)Rheumatoid ArthritisType 2 DiabetesSponsored TopicsArticlesAcid RefluxADHDAllergiesAlzheimer's & DementiaBipolar DisorderCancerCrohn's DiseaseChronic PainCold & FluCOPDDepressionFibromyalgiaHeart DiseaseHigh CholesterolHIVHypertensionIPFOsteoarthritisPsoriasisSkin Disorders and CareSTDsDiscoverWellness TopicsNutritionFitnessSkin CareSexual HealthWomen's HealthMental HealthSleepOriginal SeriesFresh Food FastDiagnosis DiariesYou’re Not AlonePresent TenseVideo SeriesYouth in FocusHealthy HarvestNo More SilenceFuture of HealthPlanHealth ChallengesMindful EatingSugar SavvyMove Your BodyGut HealthMood FoodsAlign Your SpineFind CarePrimary CareMental HealthOB-GYNDermatologistsNeurologistsCardiologistsOrthopedistsLifestyle QuizzesWeight ManagementAm I Depressed? A Quiz for TeensAre You a Workaholic?How Well Do You Sleep?Tools & ResourcesHealth NewsFind a DietFind Healthy SnacksDrugs A-ZHealth A-ZConnectFind Your Bezzy CommunityBreast CancerInflammatory Bowel DiseasePsoriatic ArthritisMigraineMultiple SclerosisPsoriasisFollow us on social mediaShopProducts by ConditionInsomniaStress ReliefBack PainNeck PainSleep ApneaHot SleepersAllergiesPain ReliefProduct ReviewsVitamins & SupplementsSleepMental HealthNutritionAt-Home TestingCBDMen’s HealthWomen’s HealthHealth ConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectShopSubscribe

What Causes Nervous Laughter

Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT — By Tim Jewell — Updated on October 5, 2022You probably know the feeling: You’re in a tense situation and suddenly feel an insanely powerful urge to laugh. Don’t worry, you’re not strange for doing this — it’s a phenomenon called nervous laughter. Nervous laughter is called an incongruous emotion. This means that you experience an emotion when the situation doesn’t necessarily call for it. Nervous laughter happens for a number of reasons. Some research suggests that your body uses this sort of mechanism to regulate emotion. Other research has found that nervous laughter may be a defense mechanism against emotions that may make us feel uncomfortable. Either way, it’s pretty weird to experience. Uncontrollable nervous laughter may also be a symptom of an underlying condition.

Why do we laugh when we are nervous

Yale University psychologist Stanley Milgram conducted one of the earliest and most infamous studies with data about nervous laughter in the 1960s. His study revealed that people often laughed nervously in uncomfortable situations. People in his study were asked to give electric shocks to a stranger, with the shocks becoming increasingly powerful (up to 450 volts). But the “strangers” in this case were researchers involved in the study — they weren’t actually being shocked. But participants were more likely to laugh at the violence of the situation the higher the volts went. Neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran explored this idea in his book “A Brief Tour of Human Consciousness.” He proposes that laughter first appeared in human history to indicate to those around us that whatever made us laugh wasn’t a threat or worth worrying about. Ramachandran also suggested that laughter helps us heal from trauma by distracting ourselves from the pain and associating that pain with positive emotion. This could be why nervous laughter can happen even at funerals or other sad and traumatic events. A newer 2019 research also suggests that laughter or mirth is a way for us to reduce fear, anxiety, or stress. The researchers theorize that mirth can help us turn off a negative reaction to uncomfortable or illogical things we encounter. A 2015 study from a team of Yale researchers also found that people tend to respond with a variety of unexpected emotions in response to strong outside stimuli. The researchers discovered an association between the strong emotions you feel when you see a cute baby, like wanting to pinch its cheek and speak to it in weird voices, and the urge to laugh when you’re nervous or anxious. So nervous laughter may also just be part of a larger pattern within the brain to react with strong emotions of all sorts to emotionally provocative stimuli, no matter if it seems appropriate.

Medical causes

Uncontrollable laughter that seems like nervous laughter could also result from an underlying medical condition. Here are a few of the most common possible causes of nervous laughter.

Pseudobulbar affect

Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) happens when you have episodes of strong emotions that aren’t necessarily appropriate for the situation. Aside from these brief episodes of strong emotion, your mood and emotions tend to be just fine. Imagine someone telling a joke that you didn’t find funny. But you start bursting out in loud, raucous laughter anyway — this is one possible way that PBA can manifest. This symptom is linked to conditions that affect your brain like a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or a neurological disorder like multiple sclerosis (MS).

Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism happens when your thyroid gland makes too much of one or both thyroid hormones called T4 and T3. These hormones regulate your cells’ energy use and maintain your metabolism. Nervous laughter can be a symptom of hyperthyroidism in some cases. Autoimmune conditions like Graves disease are the most common causes of hyperthyroidism. Some other possible causes include:consuming too much iodinethyroid gland inflammationhaving benign tumors on your thyroid or pituitary glandhaving tumors on your testicles or ovariesconsuming too much tetraiodothyronine from nutritional supplements

Graves disease

Graves disease happens when your immune system makes too many antibodies that hook up with thyroid cells. These thyroid cells get to your thyroid gland and overstimulate the gland. This causes the thyroid to make too much thyroid hormone. Having too much thyroid hormone in your body can affect your nervous system. One symptom of this is nervous laughter even when nothing is happening that you find funny. Some other common symptoms of Graves disease include:shaking hands tremorslosing weight without an obvious causeabnormally fast heart rategetting hot easilyexhaustionfeeling nervous or irritableweak muscle strengththyroid gland swelling, known as a goiterpooping more than usual or having diarrheatrouble sleeping

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are also known as prion diseases. These rare diseases damage the brain by causing misfolded proteins known as prions to accumulate in the brain. You could either contract these prions or inherit them genetically. They can also sometimes develop without a known cause. The result is essentially holes in the brain that can look sponge-like, which is how this group of diseases has gotten its name. They are usually fatal. One of the more common types of TSE is Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Some common symptoms include:trouble walking or with coordinationslurry speechbeing moody or experiencing abnormal behavioral shiftssigns of dementia or memory losstwitching or shaking in your musclesvision problems Prion diseases affect the brain where many cognitive and emotional processes are located. As part of these neurological symptoms, a person can experience nervous laughter. Other human prion diseases are:Fatal familial insomniaGerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker Syndrome (GSS)Kuru

How to stop laughing

Nervous laughter isn’t always easy to control, especially if it’s the result of a medical condition. However, in the absence of an underlying condition, nervous laughter is usually a result of a negative emotion like anxiety. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) suggests a number of strategies to reduce anxiety. Indirectly, these may also help you reduce nervous laughter. The strategies include:Doing deep breathing exercises. These relax anxiety that can overstimulate your nervous system and your brain.Engaging in quiet meditation. Use meditation to calm your mind and focus on something besides your stressors or other drains on your cognitive and emotional energy.Practicing yoga. Movement through yoga can relax both your body and mind. Participating in art and music therapy. These allow you to focus on the artistic and creative process and stimulate your brain. In addition, seeing a mental health specialist may be a good idea if your anxiety is severe. Therapists work in different modalities. For example, you can meet with a therapist working withcognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This modality can help you understand how your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors can lead to symptoms such as nervous laughter.

Treatment for conditions

Here are some possible treatments for the conditions that can cause nervous laughter:Hyperthyroidism. Methimazole (Tapazole) can help control hormone production, and iodine destroys extra hormone cells. Thyroid removal surgery is also a possibility. Graves disease. The treatment is generally the same as hyperthyroidism, with some minor differences depending on your symptoms.Other degenerative brain diseases. There are medications to help you manage the symptoms, but there’s no cure for many of these conditions.

When to talk with a doctor

You may want to see a therapist or counselor if you find yourself laughing at inappropriate times and it’s disrupting your life. They can help you learn how to cope and control nervous laughter through CBT or similar strategies. See your doctor as soon as possible if you have any of the symptoms listed that might suggest a medical condition. You’re more likely to prevent possible complications if you treat these conditions early.

The bottom line

Nervous laughter isn’t something to be anxious or embarrassed about. Research suggests that it may actually be a useful tool against negative emotions or during a hard time in your life. See a therapist or doctor if your nervous laughter: is uncontrollabledisrupts your personal or professional lifehappens along with more severe symptoms Last medically reviewed on October 5, 2022

How we vetted this article

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.Aragón OR, et al. (2015). Dimorphous expressions of positive emotion: Displays of both care and aggression in response to cute stimuli.
clarkrelationshiplab.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Psychological%20Science-2015-Arag%C3%B3n-259-73.pdfAscari LM, et al. (2020). Challenges and advances in antemortem diagnosis of human transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.
frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2020.585896/full Asif H, et al. (2022). Hyperthyroidism presenting with mania and psychosis: A case report. /
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8934034 Chalah MA, et al. (2018). Disentangling the neural basis of cognitive behavioral therapy in psychiatric disorders: a focus on depression.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6120051 /Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. (n.d.). feldt-jakob-disease
alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-dementia/types-of-dementia/creutzFoley K, et al. (2016). Prevalence of pseudobulbar affect symptoms and clinical correlates in nursing home residents.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5215684 Granitas DA. (2019). All laughter is nervous: An anxiety-based understanding of incongruous humor.
degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/humor-2019-0015/html Mahat S, et al. (2022). Kuru.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559103Mathew P, et al. (2022). Hyperthyroidism.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537053/Pokhrel B, et al. (2022). Graves disease.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448195/Prion diseases. (2021).
cdc.gov/prions/index.htmlRamachandran VS. (2004). A brief tour of human consciousness. New York, NY: Pi Press.
psycnet.apa.org/record/2004-16404-000Tips and strategies to manage anxiety and stress. (n.d.).
adaa.org/tipsOur experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Current Version Oct 6, 2022 By Tim Jewell Edited By Alina Sharon Medically Reviewed By Debra Rose Wilson, PhD, MSN, RN, IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT Copy Edited By Copy Editors Oct 18, 2019 By Tim Jewell Edited By Allison Tsai Medically Reviewed By Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD Share this articleMedically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT — By Tim Jewell — Updated on October 5, 2022

Read this next

Nervousness: How You Can Deal with It and Feel BetterMedically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD Nervousness is a natural reaction to a new or stressful event. Everyone feels nervous at some point. There are many things you can do to relax and…READ MOREWhy Do I Have Anxiety in the Morning?Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD Do you ever experience racing thoughts or anxiety in the morning before you even have a chance to hit snooze on your alarm? If so, you’re not alone…READ MORENot Worried About Anything in Particular? You Could Still Have ‘Subconscious’ Anxiety Anxiety isn’t always obvious. Learn about some of the more subtle, or subconscious, signs of anxiety and how to find the right support.READ MOREQueen Elizabeth's Cause of Death Due to Old Age: What that Means After Queen Elizabeth II died in early September, the National Records of Scotland released an extract from her death certificate listing her cause of…READ MOREHabits Matter More Than You Might Think — These Tips Can Help the Good Ones StickMedically reviewed by Joslyn Jelinek, LCSW Habits often happen unconsciously, but they can have a big impact on your everyday life. Explore types of habits and tips to create new ones here. READ MOREAre You TikTok Tired? Here’s How to Stop Scrolling and Reclaim More Zzz’s A new survey finds that 80% of people say they stay up too late using apps like TikTok, leading to daytime fatigue. Here’s how to reboot your…READ MOREQueen Elizabeth II Dies at 96 After a Series of Health Issues Queen Elizabeth II of England died at the age of 96. The queen had been experiencing several health and mobility issues, including testing positive…READ MORECan Monkeypox Survive On Surfaces? Here's What We Know A new CDC investigation finds that even with appropriate cleaning and surface disinfection, monkeypox virus is still detectable on most surfaces…READ MOREMouth Taping: What to Know About This Dangerous TikTok Trend Videos claiming you can improve the quality of your sleep and reduce snoring are going viral on TikTok, but health experts strongly advise against…READ MORE*clone Market VIP* The 11 Best Mattresses for Lower Back Pain in 2022Medically reviewed by Gregory Minnis, DPT These 11 picks are some of the best mattresses for lower back pain. Offering medium-firm support, they’ll help keep you aligned and rested.READ MORE