Crying often gets a bad reputation and is frequently viewed as a sign of weakness or drama. However, recent scientific breakthroughs have revealed that crying benefits mental and physical health. It reduces stress and releases emotions while strengthening social bonds.

Image Credit: mdnirob121 from Pixabay

Health Benefits of Crying

According to Leo Newhouse, a senior social worker in neurology at Harvard Medical School, crying allows us to release difficult feelings—grief, anguish, or sorrow—within us. Doing so significantly benefits our physical health. One of the main ways crying helps our body is through pain relief.

When crying, the endocrine glands release hormones called endorphins. These chemicals help reduce physical and emotional pain, improve mood, and make you feel good, which is why people feel a sense of relief after ten minutes of crying.

In addition to releasing "feel-good" endorphins, crying also helps lower the amount of stress hormones like cortisol in the body, which can otherwise contribute to a weakened immune system, higher blood pressure, and a decrease in cardiovascular health. Through crying, the body returns to a more balanced state and reduces the adverse effects of prolonged stress.

Crying also tremendously improves sleep quality. Lower stress and anxiety make people relax and fall asleep quicker. Better sleep means a further boost in immunity and an increase in hormone growth activity, which is vital for muscle growth and cell repair.

Take the Quiz: What’s Your Perfect Skincare Product for the 'Clean Girl' Look?

Take this quiz to discover the perfect skincare product for your “clean girl” routine!

Social Benefits of Crying

In many collectivistic cultures (Culture that values the group's needs over the individual), people—especially men—have been discouraged from expressing sadness, associating it with incompetence and inferiority. Such examples include China, Korea, and Japan, where there is an emphasis on overall emotional suppression of the individual to serve the purposes of the community (e.g., not expressing anger in a family gathering if it will cause chaos). This custom is in contrast to the individualistic cultures (Culture that values the needs of the individual over the group) of the West, where personal expression is the norm.

It is this cultural discouragement of expressing sadness, however, that makes crying even more valuable and authentic. King David of Ancient Israel (A collectivistic culture) is a good example of this. Despite being a warrior and king, David openly wept on multiple occasions.

His tears helped reinforce social cohesion among his followers, uniting them in shared grief. This story shows that, regardless of cultural background, when people cry, they draw support and empathy from those around them, serving as a powerful form of nonverbal communication. Research also indicates that humans are cognitively hardwired to empathize with others because we naturally correlate them with our very selves. Tears serve an attachment function that strengthens social bonds—a phenomenon observed worldwide. According to a study on the interpersonal effects of emotional crying that examined more than 7,000 participants across 41 countries and all populated continents, the natural response to seeing a tearful individual was the desire to help.

Image Credit: raphhaelsilva from Pixabay

Psychological Benefits of Crying

One of the most essential purposes of crying is coping with emotions and maintaining one's psyche. When people cry, they acknowledge their emotions instead of neglecting them. This process, called catharsis, kickstarts introspection, helping individuals understand and work through their feelings faster.

Moreover, crying helps foster the individual's sense of belonging, or the feeling of being part of a group or community. Because humans are social creatures, this serves an irreplaceable role in mental well-being. Without a sense of belonging, individuals experience a significant decrease in emotional security and stability, oftentimes leading to more sadness and eventual depression, further highlighting the benefits of crying.

Harms of Crying Too Much

Although crying has numerous physical, social, and psychological benefits, there is a limit to be cautious of when crying, which is excessive crying. Crying is an intense process, and too much of it can be emotionally draining, leaving a person physically fatigued, dehydrated, and emotionally distressed. Even if the body releases endorphins that can hide the pain for a while, crying for too long will cause it to run out.

Socially, excessive crying can sometimes strain relationships and social interactions, often leading to misunderstandings and making others feel unsure of how to respond. It could also impact self-esteem, making a person feel embarrassed or isolated. It may also indicate depression and unresolved trauma.

Image Credit: Simedblack from Pixabay

What to Do When Someone's Crying

As previously mentioned, one purpose of crying is to ask for support from others. For example, if you see your friend crying, you should approach them with care and empathy. Ask them if they're comfortable sharing what happened; if they do, listen actively and validate their feelings.

Let them know that it is okay to cry sometimes. If they don't, it is still necessary for you to offer them comfort and follow up with them later. The most important thing is to let them know you care about them and that they are not alone.