I have lived with anxiety for as long as I can remember, and lately my baseline has felt higher than usual. I don’t have a definitive cause — it could be seasonal allergies, the hormonal shifts of perimenopause, or an adjustment to a new birth control pill — but the experience feels familiar: a knot of restlessness that is stubborn and intrusive. My go-to tactics, like taking long walks, spending intentional time with my children, and getting lost in a book I enjoy, still help to some degree, yet these days they are not always enough to bring my nervous system back to center.
One unexpectedly effective tool arrived in the form of a short comedy sketch. I watched a clip from PEN15 where Maya scatters nonsense syllables in a moment that is so perfectly awkward that I found myself laughing out loud. The laugh was immediate and honest enough that my partner, Anton, came into the room to see what had made me chuckle; when I showed him the bit, he laughed, too. Small moments like that can feel absurdly potent when anxiety is high. I wanted to share that moment and ask: what has made you laugh recently, and what helps when you feel anxious?
Why laughter can interrupt anxiety
Laughter is more than entertainment; it functions as a short circuit for tension. When you laugh, your body shifts biochemical states, releasing endorphins and temporarily down-regulating stress responses. In practice, a genuine laugh can create a brief gap between the onset of anxious thought and the escalation into panic, offering a reset that allows you to engage breathing or grounding techniques more effectively. While humor is not a replacement for professional care, it can act as a practical, immediate coping strategy that complements other approaches like therapy, medication, and lifestyle adjustments.
How I used media as a quick reset
When I needed a fast mood change, I reached for short, sharp doses of humor rather than long-form shows. The clip from PEN15 landed because it is a type of cringe comedy that leans into social awkwardness in a way that is both painful and freeing. For anyone wondering where to find the series now: PEN15 streams on Disney Plus and Hulu, and can be purchased on platforms like Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Fandango At Home. Knowing a title is easy to access can make it a reliable tool in your short-term coping strategies kit, especially when you want a controlled, repeatable laugh.
A small household moment
That evening, after I hit play, the sequence of Maya scatting felt unexpectedly cathartic. Anton wandered in because my laughter was contagious, and we both replayed the bit once more. It was a tiny, shared interruption to the hum of worry. There was also a photo nearby — one of Anton and me on the North Fork — and the juxtaposition of a peaceful family snapshot and a ridiculous TV moment made the household feel lighter. These small shared experiences can build resilience: they remind you that relief can arrive in fragments, and that connection magnifies a funny moment into a meaningful break from stress.
Portable coping tools to try
If your anxiety is fluctuating, consider a short menu of portable tactics: a brisk walk to shift circulation, a chapter of a favorite book to change focus, quick breathing exercises to engage the parasympathetic system, and a ten-minute comedy clip to alter your mood. If you suspect physical triggers, schedule a conversation with a healthcare provider to review symptoms related to allergies, perimenopause, or a new birth control method. Combining medical input with daily practices — like social connection, deliberate laughter, and grounding techniques — gives you multiple levers to pull when tension rises.
I am curious to hear what makes you laugh and what practical steps you reach for when anxiety ramps up. For readers interested in more laughs, I also shared five other funny things I love and three TV scenes that crack me up — little resources that have helped me build a short-term toolkit for calmer moments. Please share your favorites: the exchange might be the exact small thing someone else needs on a tough day.
