One thing that has always been true about me is that I am Team Tears. I cry at good news, bad news, episodes of The Simpsons and when my cat looks at me in a particular way.
I’ve openly cried for as long as I can remember and, while I know this isn’t always the popular opinion, I honestly think crying when you need to cry is fine. In fact, not crying when you need to can actually hold you back and prolong the distress.
Learning that holding back tears can be harmful had me wondering just how beneficial a good cry is and it turns out, there are actually health benefits to crying.
Researchers found in a 2021 study that crying activates our parasympathetic nervous system. This system helps your body to rest and digest, meaning that when you let those tears flow, you’re actually soothing your body and allowing it to rest.
In the same 2021 study, the researchers found that crying for long periods of time releases oxytocin and endogenous opioids, otherwise known as endorphins.
According to Healthline: “Once the endorphins are released, your body may go into somewhat of a numb stage. Oxytocin can give you a sense of calm or well-being.”
Anybody who has experienced a loss will tell you that grief is not linear, and that it’s quite hard to navigate the complex feelings that come with a bereavement. It turns out that crying can actually be something that does help us along that bumpy road, and help us to mentally process what we’re going through.
Of course, there is a point where our tears are less cathartic and more all-consuming. If you’re feeling more teary than usual, you may want to speak to your GP about your mental health.
Leading mental health charity Mind recommend taking the following steps when talking to your GP:
