Why Does Crying Make You Feel Better?

We’ve all cried in the past, especially when we were young babies. It’s a natural response to many different situations. We cry when we feel a range of emotions, including happiness, sadness, and anxiety.

Crying naturally makes us feel better. But why is this? Research suggests that crying has a huge range of benefits for your body and mind. Let’s run through some of these benefits.

  • Support system - when you’re crying, you look to those around you for comfort and support
  • Removal of toxins and potentially stress hormones from your eyes
  • Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which can calm you down and reduce stress and anxiety
  • Restoration of baseline emotional state or ‘emotional equilibrium’
  • Increased emotional resilience and reduced grief