Why Do We Laugh When We’re Nervous?

Sometimes when we’re nervous, we laugh. Imagine you’re on stage and forget your lines, instead of panicking, you laugh it off! That’s because laughter can help calm us down when we feel scared or embarrassed. It’s like a funny way to say, “I’m okay, I’ll be fine.” When we laugh, our body relaxes, and that makes us feel better. So even though we’re nervous, laughing helps us stay in control.

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Examples

  1. A kid trips over a chair during their school play and starts laughing instead of crying.
  2. You’re called on in class and don’t know the answer, you laugh to hide your embarrassment.
  3. Your friend tells a joke that doesn’t land, but you still laugh because it’s awkward.

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