Thursday, May 15, 2025
How Humor Helps with Teacher Burnout
See what neuroscience tells us about how laughter affects our brains!
Teaching is stressful. The kind of stress that builds quietly over time—through endless to-do lists, emotionally intense days, and the pressure to hold everything together with a smile. It’s no wonder so many teachers are running on empty. But what if one of the most powerful ways to actually manage your stress didn’t come from a training, a planner, or a productivity hack… but from something way more human?
Read on to Learn:
- Why laughing isn't just healthy, it is one of the most underrated teacher tools we have.
- What neuroscience shows us about laughter and the brain.
- How learning to laugh at yourself can create fun and connection with your students.
Teaching can feel relentless. The early mornings. The emotional demands. The invisible workload. But today, I want to offer a small, powerful antidote to that heaviness: laughter.
It turns out, laughter isn’t just a momentary distraction—it’s a scientifically backed tool that helps your brain, body, and emotional health.
💡 So what does the science say?
Researchers have found that laughter:
* Releases endorphins—your body’s natural painkillers and stress relievers.
* Boosts oxygen flow to your brain, improving focus, circulation, and memory.
* Lowers blood pressure and helps regulate stress hormones.
* Even raises your pain threshold! Yes—laughing can literally make discomfort more bearable.
PET scan studies show that laughing with others creates social bonding and releases opioids in the brain, making you feel calmer and more connected with those around you.
🙃 But laughter isn’t a cure-all for teacher stress.
Let’s be real: humor won’t fix systemic issues in education. It won’t replace the deep inner work teachers need to build resilience. That’s where tools like thought work, emotional processing, and intentional mindset training come in. (Psst: I teach all that in my course, Calm in the Classroom - Check it out HERE.)
Still, laughter matters. It’s a pressure release valve. A way to feel human in the middle of hard days.
😂 Need help finding the funny again?
If you’ve been in burnout mode, humor may feel out of reach. That’s okay—your brain’s just been trained to scan for danger and stress. But you can redirect that focus with intentionality.
Start here:
1. Ask yourself, what’s one thing I can laugh at today?
2. Screenshot a teacher meme that makes you smile.
3. Collect funny moments from class—those “did that just happen?” stories are gold.
💬 Final Thoughts
Laughter won’t solve every problem. But it gives your nervous system a much-needed break. It allows you to catch your breath in the middle of a hard day in order to face whatever comes next using the emotional and cognitive tools needed for long-lasting emotional regulation.
Laughter builds connection. It makes your classroom feel like a safe, joyful place to be--for both you and your students!
Let’s keep building that joy—on purpose.
🎧 Listen to the full podcast episode here: Episode 56: How Humor Helps with Teacher Burnout
🎓 Ready to build emotional resilience that lasts? Check out my course: Calm in the Classroom. ✨ Learn more at about the brand-new Calm in the Classroom course HERE!
Learn all THE Most Important
Teacher Skills HERE!
Teacher, it's not YOU.
It's your BRAIN!
You’re staring at a mountain of ungraded papers, "that" parent just emailed again, and your lunch is still sitting untouched.
You wonder, “Why can’t I handle this better? What’s wrong with me?”
The truth?
Nothing.
Your brain is doing exactly what it’s wired to do—protect you by scanning for danger, anticipating problems, and staying on high alert. In other words, it’s trying to help... but it’s efforts often work against you becoming the calm, confident teacher you want to be.
That’s where I come in. I help teachers understand their brain’s survival patterns—and train them to work with those patterns instead of fighting them.
Want to learn how to reset your mental autopilot and feel better?
Let’s talk. Grab a FREE 30-minute coaching session and take the first step toward a calmer, more in-control classroom (and life).
Hi, I'm Brenna Nelson, a long-time educator turned Certified Life Coach.
I help teachers, just like you, learn how to process emotions, regulate their hyperactivated nervous systems, manage their brains, and create a life they love!
Ready to feel better in the classroom? Click for more help!
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Brenna Nelson
Long-time Educator turned Certified Life Coach
Welcome to The Strength of Teachers Blog! Here we share real-life skills and practical applications that you can implement in your teacher life today!
Teachers Did Not Learn this in College!
Come learn what our college professors failed to teach us in college:
How to manage the emotional toll of life in the classroom!
