Study Suggests Crying Can Help With Emotion Regulation
- Emotesy
- Nov 26, 2019
- 2 min read
A recent study completed by Sharman, Dingle, Vingerhoets, and Vanman (2019) suggests that crying can help an individual maintain stable breathing rates despite being emotionally distressed. The study included 197 undergraduate students in Australia who were separated into two group: those that watched a neutral video vs. those that watched a sad video. Following the video, participants completed a physical stress task (putting hand in cold water). Results indicated that cortisol levels (stress hormone) between the groups were similar, however, respiration and heart rates were lower for the crying group vs. the non-criers or neutral group, In addition, results indicated that heart rates slowed down just before crying and then returned to baseline. This study lends support to the self-soothing nature of crying and the role it plays in allowing one to self-regulate during an emotional experience. Not only does crying assist in returning the body back to its natural state, but it serves as a signal to others as to how you are feeling and cue others to help. So the next time your little one is struggling with emotions, rather than asserting they "stop crying!," consider sitting with them and letting him or her feel her feelings and being there as a silent source of support. Sometimes just being with your child, not offering solutions or trying to "fix" things right away shows them that you are capable of holding the big stuff--because if what he or she is going through is too much for them, and too much for the grownups around them...then how can they possibly survive this emotional wave?
Reference: Sharman, Leah & Dingle, Genevieve & Vingerhoets, Ad & Vanman, Eric. (2019). Using crying to cope: Physiological responses to stress following tears of sadness. Emotion. 10.1037/emo0000633.
The connection between heart rates slowing just before crying and emotional regulation is fascinating. It highlights how our bodies instinctively prepare for emotional release, supporting the idea that crying can be a healthy coping mechanism. As a parent, I find this insight useful; it encourages me to embrace my child's emotions instead of trying to suppress them. This understanding can foster a supportive environment for emotional growth, similar to how tools at SBTI Match can help visualize and manage emotions over time.
The finding that heart rates slow down just before crying is incredibly intriguing. It suggests that our bodies instinctively prepare to release emotional tension, which aligns with how I often feel after a good cry. This understanding could be beneficial for parents, encouraging them to offer support during emotional moments rather than trying to stop the tears. It reminds me of the soothing effect of art, like how I transform my pet photos into beautiful pieces at PetPortraitHub—sometimes a creative outlet can also help regulate emotions.
I found the detail about heart rates slowing just before crying, as shared in ZEnhancer, to be particularly insightful. It really highlights how our bodies might initiate self-soothing before we even consciously process the emotion. This perspective makes the act of crying feel more like a physiological reset.
I was interested to see the specific detail about heart rates slowing down just before crying, as described in the study on popemote. It makes intuitive sense that this process helps the body regulate the physical stress of being upset. This gives a much more scientific backbone to the simple advice to "have a good cry.
That’s a fascinating look at the physiology behind why a good cry can feel so calming. The part about heart rates slowing down right before crying is especially interesting to me. I might try to use the imposter game generator next time I'm feeling overwhelmed to see if it helps channel that.