Why do people struggle to stay upright when they laugh too hard?

Question

I see people having to sit down or lean against the wall when they laugh too hard. It makes my own legs feel like jelly and I definitely need to hold on to something, otherwise I’d just end up sitting/laying on the ground. Why?

In: 5

Answer 1

The extreme version of this is called Cataplexy. A person with Cataplexia will literally lose muscle control and crumple to the floor when faced with a strong unexpected emotion like laughter.