<p>The brain does regulate body functions towards a homeostasis that keeps the organism alive, including starting breathing again if the person is holding their breath, or losing consciousness and slowing breathing again if the person is hyperventilating. The Wikipedia article includes many cases that look speculative. Cardiovascular events like infarction (heart attack) can occur for many reasons, some structural and long-term even if there is a proximate trigger like excessive laughter. So to your first question: It does; to the second, that seems like a poor therapy at best, but sure, is likely to interrupt laughter.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Background on cardiovascular disorders: <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cardiovascular-disease/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cardiovascular-disease/</a></p>
<p>Homeostasis - Wikipedia
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeostasis" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeostasis</a>
&quot;Homeostasis is the state of steady internal conditions maintained by living things. This dynamic state of equilibrium is the condition of optimal functioning for the organism and includes many variables, such as body temperature and fluid balance, being kept within certain pre-set limits (homeostatic range).&quot;</p>
<p>Over-breathing: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperventilation" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperventilation</a></p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-28T07:54:34.010Z
2018-08-28T11:14:32.683Z
2020-06-17T09:55:31.633Z
Cameron Brick
<p>Death from laughter seems like a possible way to die, either by heart failure or asphyxiation according to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_from_laughter" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this Wikipedia article</a>.</p>

<p>Why doesn't the brain have a mechanism to stop a person from laughing if it has reached lethal levels? If I witness a person laughing to death, can knocking them out save them from dying?</p>

<humour><death>
Does the brain have a mechanism to protect from death by laughter?
user120404
# Does the brain have a mechanism to protect from death by laughter?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-08-25)

Death from laughter seems like a possible way to die, either by heart failure or asphyxiation according to [this Wikipedia article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_from_laughter).

Why doesn't the brain have a mechanism to stop a person from laughing if it has reached lethal levels? If I witness a person laughing to death, can knocking them out save them from dying?

**Tags:** humour, death


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-08-28. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

The brain does regulate body functions towards a homeostasis that keeps the organism alive, including starting breathing again if the person is holding their breath, or losing consciousness and slowing breathing again if the person is hyperventilating. The Wikipedia article includes many cases that look speculative. Cardiovascular events like infarction (heart attack) can occur for many reasons, some structural and long-term even if there is a proximate trigger like excessive laughter. So to your first question: It does; to the second, that seems like a poor therapy at best, but sure, is likely to interrupt laughter.

> Background on cardiovascular disorders: <https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cardiovascular-disease/>
>
> Homeostasis - Wikipedia
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeostasis>
> "Homeostasis is the state of steady internal conditions maintained by living things. This dynamic state of equilibrium is the condition of optimal functioning for the organism and includes many variables, such as body temperature and fluid balance, being kept within certain pre-set limits (homeostatic range)."
>
> Over-breathing: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperventilation>


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