Does Crying Actually Make You Feel Better?

Conde Nast Digital Studio

SELF magazine

We all know the expression, "a good cry." As in, you just got broken up with/ fought with your mom/ lost your wallet and you let loose in a fit of sobbing--and then you felt better. Well, a new study says that, contrary to popular belief, shedding tears won't make you feel better--at least for the majority of people. Study participants kept a daily emotion journal, and just 30 percent said they felt better after crying, whereas 9 percent said they actually felt worse, and the rest (most people) felt the exact same. Huh.

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What's interesting is that the researchers speculated that there is one way in which crying makes you feel better--but it's not the way you might think. If you're with other people, your tears alert them that you're distressed and that you may need social support, and then they'll likely comfort you, which will make you feel better. Handy, right?

Still, I know plenty of folks who fall into that 30%, the ones who do like "a good cry" whether or not they're in the company of others. Crying is a release. But this research suggests that crying isn't the only way to express sad feelings. In other words, you shouldn't feel bad if you're not a crier.

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Maybe you like to go for a long run, or laugh your heart out at a funny movie, or take a hot shower, or punch a pillow as your release. Good for you!

Whatever works for you to feel better works for me--it's all about personal preference.