Nothing seems particularly funny. Stressed in Kansas City, Kansas. Dear Stressed, Curiously, in order to stop laughing, we must put controls on our laughter. This is serious.
Laughter is our natural, physiological response to stress and pain.
We use it to handle the emotions of anger and fear. Left to its own devices, our body will laugh despite our best intentions. That's why some of us laugh at funerals or at a friend's misfortune when we see and feel nothing funny. When under stress, we feel anger that we have too much to do and fear we won't get it done or get it done right. If we become serious about it, we lock down our feelings.