This article originally appeared in the Winter 2026 issue of On The Level.
Humor and Vestibular Dysfunction
By Karen R Mizrach
Living with a chronic illness is no joke—except when it is. Between endless doctor appointments, unsolicited medical advice, and the daily grind of managing symptoms, humor has become a lifeline for many people in the chronic illness and disability community. (Brendan MacDonald)
At the beginning of my vestibular journey, I didn’t laugh or find anything amusing for a long time. Life seemed intense and scary. I cried a lot and felt hopeless. When our bodies and minds are facing life-changing challenges, all our energy is focused on survival from day to day. It is serious business. Yet, rediscovering the funny bits in life happened, and it felt good. It turns out laughing and giggling are not just silliness. They are healing and fundamental parts of a good life.
Mental Health
Activating your parasympathetic nervous system through laughter can be a boon for your whole body. (Dr Tworek – The Cleveland Clinic)
Have you ever watched a funny show or heard a good joke and felt your whole mood lighten? Laughing and feeling silly gives the brain a mental rest and helps connect with people. Humor is a powerful distraction, changing your focus away from the serious and difficult. When you can laugh with other people, that adds positivity to conversations and reduces the constant sense of doom. Your brain relaxes, and stress reduces and you, all of the sudden, become connected to other people on a fun, light level.
It’s ok to laugh and be silly. Your vestibular symptoms are still there, but you can access another part of yourself. Finding this lighter mood, the connection with others, and rediscovering a fun part of life is extremely important.
The Healing Properties of Laughing
At its most basic level, laughter affects our physical body. It exercises our diaphragm, enabling us to take in more oxygenated air and stimulating our lungs. Moments of raucous laughter also relieve tension in our muscles. This leads to several benefits. (M Goodnight)
Research shows that laughing causes physical, beneficial changes in the body. Laughter reduces cortisol levels (stress hormones), and increases “feel good” hormones (endorphins). Heart rate and blood pressure are lowered, as is the sensation of pain by the release of natural opiates from the pituitary gland. When you laugh the brain receives a boost of oxygen, which improves mental performance. A belly laugh works the tummy muscles. And laughing or giggling (even singing and humming) stimulates the vagus nerve, which helps the body calm and relax.
Coping Tool
Chronic illness humor isn’t just about cracking jokes—it’s a powerful coping mechanism that helps turn frustration into laughter and isolation into connection. (Brendon MacDonald – URevolution)
I remember going to the doctor on a particularly bad day. Staff had to come out to my car and put me in a wheelchair so I could get inside the office. When the doctor came in to see me, I burst into tears and couldn’t pull myself together. It was an awful day. But when I thought about it later, I actually laughed. I pictured myself in the situation, and for some reason, the whole thing struck me as pathetic and then funny. When I told a friend about it, we both laughed. I noticed the next time I went to the doctor, I wasn’t as worried or stressed. I even joked with the doctor about “the last time”. The doctor visibly relaxed as she saw that I was able to be light about what had happened.
Seeing your condition through a funny lens reduces the sense of suffering. It can help you get through moments that feel defeating and tragic. Humor helps you manage the unfunny.
Where to start
What used to make you laugh? What did you do for fun? Think about humor in your life before vestibular issues and revisit those situations. Maybe a TV show was a favorite release or talking with certain people could always make you laugh. Pick one thing and make it a regular activity. Of course, it’s possible you won’t find the same things funny anymore. So search around for something new.
Social media can be a wonderful resource for humor. There are websites that have daily jokes. There are laughing yoga classes. There are comedian reels on Instagram. One of my favorites is Josh Johnson. Or, maybe your friends on Facebook are posting silly photos. Even online support groups can offer a laugh and release from seriousness. As other patients offer anecdotes about crazy trips to doctors, weird dizzy feelings, and reactions from family, the group often has a good laugh. These are connections that allow you to see humor in certain experiences, and a release from loneliness.
If you enjoy journaling, try to write about silly thoughts or funny experiences, or even poke fun at yourself a bit. It’s ok to let go like this. You will feel the release and some of your old self creep in.
A healthy sense of humor might seem like a soothing balm or a light diversion during tough times, but it is much more powerful than something that simply lulls us or calms us down. (Madelaine Goodnight)
Laughing about life is not denying tough times. It’s actually showing strength and resilience in dealing with life’s challenges. You can’t choose your health conditions, but like all life’s situations, you can choose your response. Obviously, you won’t be laughing all day. Sometimes there is nothing funny, or it’s time to be serious and in problem-solving mode. But make time to smile, to laugh, to find the silly side. Your nervous system will thank you, and you will begin to feel the difference.
Resources
- https://www.verywellmind.com/health-benefits-of-humor-and-laughter-5101137
- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-laughing-good-for-you
- https://www.urevolution.com/blogs/magazine/chronic-illness-humor-coping-strategy?srsltid=AfmBOoreqDhx_4lPh3GcDN4PrG5AoJ35SH6sR_eIvfwQYu9zYIJutRst
- https://jenniferbassman.com/2024/03/12/humor-and-stress/
