Like many things, not all days are created equal. Every now and then, there will come a period where the things that were once hilarious to you stop making you laugh.
You feel less cheerful than before, and laughing doesn’t come as easily as it once did. On these occasions, you can’t help but wonder:
Wait, why did I lose my sense of humor?
What we’re talking about here isn’t a simple dull day where you are feeling a bit down and need some cheering up. Instead, we are discussing a more serious matter, where you genuinely feel like all sense of humor has left your body, and you don’t know how to crack a joke or even laugh anymore!
We will focus on a few reasons for a lost sense of humor you probably haven’t thought of before. Apart from that, we’ll offer you some tips on how to get your sense of humor back, which is why you are probably here in the first place.
Without further ado, let’s get started!
Reasons for Losing Your Sense of Humor
Here are the most common reasons you should consider:
#1 – You’ve overgrown a particular type of humor.
Firstly, it’s essential to address that our sense of humor changes countless times during our lives, sometimes without us even directly realizing it.
Related: Is Humor Genetic? Can You Be Born Funny & Other Questions
It’s all a part of growing up as a person and simply changing your interests, hobbies, or, in this instance, what makes you laugh.
When your humor changes, you probably won’t like the same funny sitcoms you once enjoyed, apart from only giving you a nostalgic feel. For example, you might have excessively enjoyed South Park when you were a teen, but now you simply can’t stand it. That’s okay too!
You can always find other forms of humor you enjoy, and there are plenty of resources online that could help you with that. We also covered all the different types of humor one may encounter, so checking out that article might spark an idea or two!
#2 – You’re stressed out.
Okay, maybe it is not a particular type of humor that you don’t find funny anymore, but all humor in general. In this case, ask yourself:
Have you been under a lot of stress in your life lately?
Losing a sense of humor is a very common sign of stress overload!
Mental health affects your sense of humor to a great extent. If you’ve been feeling under pressure, overwhelmed, lacking energy, and tired all the time, you may have found your reason. It’s no wonder you don’t find joy in laughter, you are totally burned out!
It is important to take a step back from time to time and put things into perspective. Dealing with everyday stress is a monumental task, but you have to start somewhere. Although it doesn’t seem intuitive here, humor can become your first step towards changing your current mood, amongst other things!
Comedy is a fantastic way to relax your overthinking brain, and it’s been scientifically proven to be a natural reliever of stress. Get some sleep, speak to a loved one about what is stressing you out, do whatever relaxes you the most, and try to find a thing worth smiling about in your day.
#3 – You aren’t getting enough sleep.
Speaking of sleep, another widespread reason for losing your sense of humor may be a lack of proper rest!
According to an overview of recent sleep study data, those who do not consistently obtain at least seven hours of sleep have duller senses and slower reaction times. In addition, it also appears to have a negative impact on your sense of humor.
Before you start worrying about more complicated underlying issues, work on improving your sleeping schedule!
#4 – It’s the people in your social circle.
No amount of stress relief exercises or tips on how to get your humor back can help your situation if you are constantly surrounded by the wrong people.
By wrong people, we, of course, mean the people who have a significant role in your life, but they’re “energy vampires” and won’t talk about anything other than work and life worries. If you consume negativity every single day for a long time, you simply won’t find that laughter comes naturally the same as before.
Luckily, the situation can change quickly. Think of the people around you and if there is a particular person you’d rather not be friends with anymore. It’s harsh, but you have to put your mental health first. Try talking to them and explaining nicely that their constant gloom is not good for you.
Reexamining your social circle is vital if you want your humor back and your old self back too.
#5 – It’s even more complicated than all that.
We cannot know the exact reason your sense of humor is broken since we do not know you personally. You are the best detective you can hire for this case, and it will require some serious introspection.
Before we advise you to start thinking things through, we will give you a few more common reasons you should consider. Besides the four things we talked about above, a plethora of other things may hinder your ability to find laughter in life, such as:
- depression,
- social anxiety,
- being overly self-conscious when talking with people,
- aging, etc.
Can You Lose the Ability to Laugh?
We get it, you are an overthinker, and even this crazy thought has crossed your mind. So here is a quick but surprising answer:
It is possible to lose the ability to laugh, which the scientific community refers to as aphonogelia. However, it is a very unique medical condition that usually follows only severe brain injuries.
For a large majority of people, the so-called inability to laugh is just temporary. You can reverse it once you detect and address the underlying causes.
Now, let’s take a look at the most important question of the day!
How to Regain Your Sense of Humor?
By now, hopefully, you have figured out why you’ve been feeling this way, and you are ready to be cheerful and funny again.
So, how can you exactly get your sense of humor back?
Here are a couple of tips we compiled for you, so let’s dive straight into it!
Tip #1 – Actively bring humor back into your life.
Humor is a skill that can be learned and certainly relearned after you feel like you’ve lost it.
Of course, we don’t say that you should treat it like homework. That will only create even more pressure in your life. Still, having it in the back of your mind can make all the difference.
For example, instead of eating your meals in silence, start watching a classic sitcom or comedy movie in the background! Friends is an excellent choice as it keeps your concentration in place for 20 minutes that pass quickly.
On the other hand, if you have some free time to chill in the evening, any comedy movie that you enjoy is always a good pick. Tune your brain out and laugh at hilarious or simply cringe-worthy jokes on the TV.
And if you’re feeling even more inspired, you won’t go wrong with reading more jokes and puns! We can safely say that Witty Companion is your best friend, and you can always find various lists of jokes here that will get your laughing reflexes back.
Tip #2 – Dive into stand-up comedy.
An even greater step than winding down with comedy movies is to go directly to the root of TV humor and start watching more stand-up comedians.
For instance, if you’re tired of humor that depends mainly on laugh tracks in the background and much prefer stand-up, John Mulaney would be a perfect comedian to start with. He’s relatable, witty, and has a unique scope of punchlines that will make you laugh in no time.
Tip #3 – Find joy in everyday things.
Comedy movies, TV shows, and stand-up comedy are not the only things worth smiling about in our lives! Although it may be difficult if you are feeling down, try to look at your life objectively and find everything you are grateful for.
Also, understand that life is often funny, even though it may not seem that way at the moment! Many struggles that are a burden at one point in our lives become fond memories and a source of many jokes in the future.
Tip #4 – Spend time with people who make you laugh.
What’s better than watching a funny stand-up comedian on your TV?
Laughing at a funny joke your friend told you in person!
We spend so much time glued to our screens that we often forget how vital regular social interactions can be. Reach out to your funniest friends and see if you can arrange a night out. It will do wonders for your well-being!
Tip #5 – Be up to date with time and trends.
Our last tip would be to try browsing the internet for humor that’s popular right now.
Social media such as Reddit and Twitter are a great source of entertainment as you can laugh at new jokes and memes every single day.
Firstly, many people enjoy this type of comedy since it’s easily available to everyone. It doesn’t require as much effort as searching for new stand-up comedians you’d like would be, and there are various new jokes on different topics every day.
In addition to that, commenting on funny content or even contributing makes you feel like a part of a community, and that’s why it’s vastly popular among young adults and millennials.
Your Turn
Now, we would love to hear from you:
Do you have any other tips you’d like to contribute to help other people to get their sense of humor back?
Please share all your ideas and thoughts in the comments down below!
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