When is the last time you cried?

If you said today, get help.

I’m absolutely joking.

If the data is right, 50% of you who are reading this have cried at least once in the past 2 weeks.

Those same statistics show that women cry 5.3 times per month while men cry 1.3 times per month. 

Maybe it’s because we’re mOrE eMotIoNal and maybe it’s because (MOST OF THE TIME) we have more to worry about than men, but I’m not here to fight. 

I’m here to make a case for crying.

A good cry isn’t a placebo; it’s a scientifically-backed response.

Response to what exactly? Oh, just about anything, truthfully - sadness, joy, frustration, relief, those TikToks of soldiers surprising their kids - all can be met with misty eyes. 

And, like a lot of things in life, crying has been wrongfully given a bad rap. It’s been misunderstood. It’s marketed as something we should prevent ourselves from doing at all costs. A sign of sure weakness and fragility. If you’re not an adorable baby who is hungry - don’t even think about it.

AND WHY?

Hungry, adorable babies are frustrated and I CAN BE, TOO.

I’m not sure who got it wrong and spread the word so quickly and convincingly, but it’s my civil duty to set the record straight.

4 Scientifically-Based Reasons to Cry More:

#1. Crying can boost your mood.

If you’ve ever felt almost immediately better after crying, yes you have. The act of crying triggers the release of endorphins. Yep, crying can have the same effect on your mood as a 30-minute jog. It’s too bad the caloric burn isn’t the same or good luck finding my waist. 

#2. Crying can relive stress.

Since we’re mostly women here (plus a few men with good taste and also my dad), I can safely bring up breastfeeding. You know how the milk changes based on what your baby needs? Our tears contain more or less of certain hormones based on which emotion induced those tears. A frustrated cry can flush stress-related chemicals to make it an actually effective coping mechanism. Insane!

#3. Crying can improve vision.

Goodbye dry eyes, hello healthy emotions. Tears ensure our eyes maintain the perfect level of moisture that ultimately allow them to stay clear from irritants like dust and debris. Eye drop companies are shaking in their boots right now. 

#4. Crying can restore emotional balance.

Women never really keep emotions pent-up, so I’m not sure if this one will hit (sarcasm). But allowing yourself to cry, for any reason, can restore your emotional balance and get you back to operating at your biological baseline. Sometimes you may not even realize that something is off internally, it can just feel like you “need a good cry”… Know what I’m talking about? We are all living the same life, I fear. 

Now that we know the why, let’s talk about the how.

You’ve heard of the Dopamine Menu but what about a Tearful Treat? 

I’ve been crying on purpose for years and am inviting you to join me in finding your own “tearful treats” that speak to your own sympathies.

When I feel like I could use a cry, I call in this lineup to get the tears started. I’ve found that if I ignore the feeling, you end up breaking down in front of your boss or someone who will ask you “what’s wrong?” - a nightmare when you could’ve just sobbed in peace.

When I know I need a good cry, here are my go-to’s:

LEVEL ONE 🥲: Girl Hour(s) - a playlist dedicated to the most depressing songs I’ve ever heard. I won’t be linking it because I’d rather give you my social security number, but can’t encourage you enough to make your own.

LEVEL TWO 😪: The Notebook - I try not to be this cliche but I’m sorry, it’s objectively sad because elderly people deserve the world.

LEVEL THREE 😭: Marley and Me - for the record I have never actually been so desperate for tears that I land here. It’s a last resort. Under any normal circumstances, if the dog dies, I’m not watching. 

The next question, I guess, is how much should you cry…?

Frankly, that’s between you and God. 

Whether you cry each day when you open your inbox, or struggle to shed a tear once a year - remember that it’s not only a natural response, but a beneficial one. 

Sometimes sad, and happy about it.

Xo, The Salesgirls