2019 | OriginalPaper | Chapter
Have a good cry!
Crying can have self-soothing effects, relieving pent-up emotions, easing sadness and grief, and improving mood.96,97 This is more likely if you cry where you don’t feel embarrassed, such as in private, watching a film or with someone you trust to comfort you. Crying releases toxins and the excess cortisol and manganese associated with stress; this lessens feelings of irritability, aggression, tiredness and distress. Tears contain other stress-related chemicals such as potassium and the hormone prolactin. Be aware: crying can make you feel worse at first, as the effects can take anything up to 90 minutes to kick in.