How to Cry and Release Stress

How long has it been since you last had a truly good cry? Crying is an effective way to release stress and improve your mood. If it's been a long time since you've cried, you may have forgotten how to let the tears flow. Find a quiet place, free yourself from distractions, and allow yourself to fully embrace your emotions to restore balance. Follow the steps below to let the tears fall naturally.

Find a suitable place to cry. Most people who struggle with crying prefer to be alone, away from others, so they can fully experience their emotions without worrying about what others might think. Crying in front of others isn’t wrong, but it can feel more comfortable when you're alone.

• If your bedroom is a private, quiet space, it can be a good choice.
• If you live with many people, consider driving to a private location where you can cry. Just be sure you can control yourself while driving there and on the way back; crying while driving can be very dangerous.
• Crying in the shower is also a good option since no one can hear your tears.
• A walk outdoors can help clear your mind and process your emotions. Find a private spot in a park or on the beach.

Let go of all distractions. Many people tend to push their emotions aside and distract themselves from sadness to avoid crying. This approach can effectively prevent you from crying for months or even years. When you begin to feel down, do you turn on the TV and spend the evening watching your favorite show? The next time you feel your mood drop, allow yourself to feel it. That’s the first step to letting out a good cry.

• There are many ways to distract yourself. You might stay late at work, go out instead of being alone, or read online articles until you drift to sleep. Think about what you do when you're feeling low, stop it all, and focus on your feelings.

Reflect deeply on what is making you sad. Instead of letting the thoughts pass by as if they don’t matter, focus on the emotions swirling in your mind. Think clearly, don’t just brush them away.

• Think carefully about what caused your sadness. Consider whether you wish it hadn’t happened, what your life was like before, and how your life will change from now on. Let yourself understand and feel the loss.
• No matter how strong the emotions that make you want to cry, think through them and allow those feelings to exist within you. Notice how exhausting they are, and how relieving it would be if the issue was resolved.

Allow your emotions to reach a peak until you can cry. Instead of holding back the pain, let your emotions release when you start to feel your throat tightening. Keep thinking about the things you wish hadn’t happened until the tears begin to fall, and don’t resist them.

• Once you begin to cry truly, it may be hard to stop. When you feel that all the sorrow has been washed away, then you can stop crying.
• The average length of a cry is about 6 minutes.

After you cry, check if your mood has improved. If you’re like most people, you will likely feel as though your mind has been freed from the emotions you’ve been holding back. Joy might not come immediately, but at least you’ll be calmer, less anxious, and ready to face your problems. Hold onto those feelings and make crying a habit whenever you need to.

• According to a study, while 73% of men feel better after crying, this number rises to 85% for women.
• Consider why you might not feel better after crying. Perhaps it’s because you’ve been influenced by the belief that crying is a sign of weakness for a long time. If you feel embarrassed about crying, remember that it’s a completely natural response and good for your health.

Forget everything you’ve been taught about crying. Were you taught that only the brave never cry? People who were taught to suppress their emotions from an early age often struggle to express their feelings as they grow older. But crying is an essential part of life that helps improve mental well-being. Crying can be a manifestation of sadness, pain, fear, happiness, or simply an emotion—it's a natural way for the body to experience feelings.

• Men often find it harder than women to release their emotions, primarily because they tend to hide their true feelings. However, even if men don’t cry frequently, it is still a natural reflex. The number of times boys and girls under 12 cry is roughly the same. By adulthood, men cry on average 7 times a year, while women cry 47 times.
• Crying is not a sign of weakness. It is simply a way of expressing emotion that is not tied to making decisions. Even when you anticipate that you will cry, you can still make bold moves. In fact, crying helps process emotions and can make thoughts clearer.
• Contrary to what you may have heard, crying isn’t just for children. Kids cry because they don’t yet understand what is right or wrong. But as adults, crying remains a necessary and healthy emotional outlet.

Understand the benefits of crying. Crying is how people release pent-up emotions. When feelings are suppressed and need to be released, crying is a natural bodily reaction. Interestingly, humans are the only mammals that can shed tears as a way to express emotions. Crying is a survival mechanism with the following benefits:

• Crying helps relieve stress and lower blood pressure. Crying can reduce health problems caused by extreme stress and long-term high blood pressure.
• Crying helps eliminate toxins that accumulate when you're upset. Some chemicals build up in the body when stressed, and crying helps flush them out through tears, especially when crying uncontrollably.
• You can improve your mood right after crying. This isn’t just a feeling, but a scientific fact. When you cry, your body’s manganese levels decrease. The buildup of manganese is a key cause of stress and anxiety, so crying is a natural way to soothe emotional pain.

Understand why you’ve been suppressing your emotions. Now that you know the benefits of crying, consider what’s been stopping you from shedding tears. If it’s been a long time since you’ve cried, you need to make an effort to release those emotions.

• If you believe crying represents something negative, try changing that perspective and view crying as a healthy and beneficial act.
• If you struggle to express your emotions, crying is a perfect starting point. If you can release emotions through tears, expressing your feelings will no longer be a barrier.
• When you try to suppress your emotions and prevent yourself from crying, those feelings will remain. They will make you angry and paralyzed.

Allowing yourself to cry is also a way to take better care of yourself. It’s a way to nurture your feelings instead of rejecting or pushing them away. When you cry, you become your true self. Allowing yourself to express emotions freely will have a positive impact on your mental health.

• Imagine yourself as a child, struggling to express emotions. Think about how freely you could be yourself back then—whether it was crying over the end of a happy day or falling off your bike and scraping your knee. What makes you cry now as an adult is different from what made you cry as a child, but you can still try to reclaim that freedom of emotional expression.
• Think about how you comfort others when they cry. Have you ever told someone not to cry or to hold back their emotions? When your best friend is upset and starts crying, you might have hugged them and encouraged them to let it all out. Try doing the same for yourself, instead of reprimanding yourself—it will help you feel more comfortable crying.

Looking through old photographs can stir emotions. It’s an undeniable way to bring out tears, especially if you're feeling melancholic about a specific person, like family or the passage of time. Scroll through a collection of old pictures or upload them online and let yourself soak in the memories. Reflect on the moments you shared with the people in those photos or perhaps revisit a favorite place from your past.

Watch a sad movie. A movie with a tragic plot can easily bring you to tears. Even if the characters are in completely different situations from your own, the sorrow they experience will resonate with you. When the tears start flowing, try to relate the story to your own life—this can help you face your emotions. Here’s a list of films that are known for their emotional impact:

• Hương Mộc Lan
• Stella Dallas
• Phá tan con sóng
• Lễ tình nhân buồn
• Rudy
• Dặm xanh
• Bản danh sách của Schindler
• Titanic
• Chú bé trong bộ Pyjama sọc
• Cô gái của tôi
• Marley và tôi
• Kẻ trộm sách
• Căn phòng
• Romeo và Juliet
• Nhật ký tình yêu

Listening to melancholic music is another great way to express and process emotions. A song that resonates with your current feelings or one that reminds you of a past moment can bring tears to your eyes. If you're unsure of what to listen to, why not try one of these tear-jerking songs?

• "Not the Love We Dream Of" by Gary Numan
• "Lost" by Gary Numan
• "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" by Hank Williams
• "Hurt" by Johnny Cash
• "Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton
• "On My Own" from Les Misérables
• "Jolene" by Dolly Parton
• "Say it Like You Mean It" by Matchbook Romance
• "I've Been Loving You Too Long" by Otis Redding
• "How Could This Happen To Me" by Simple Plan
• "I Know You Care" by Ellie Goulding
• "Goodbye My Lover" by James Blunt
• "Carry You Home" by James Blunt
• "All By Myself" by Celine Dion
• "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion
• "Young and Beautiful" by Lana Del Rey
• "The Ice Is Getting Thinner" by Death Cab for Cutie
• "Too Late" by M83
• "With Light There is Hope" by Princess One Point Five
• "Apologize" by One Republic
• "Night Owl" by Gerry Rafferty
• "Cry Like a Rainstorm" by Linda Ronstadt

Journaling can be a powerful outlet for expressing your emotions. Try putting pen to paper and write about what you're feeling. You might start by describing the events that triggered your emotions—perhaps a breakup, the final days of a loved one’s illness, or losing your job in a time of economic downturn. Then, reflect on how these experiences have shaped your life and emotional state. Writing down memories can also make your eyes well up.

If possible, confide in a close friend. Talking things out with someone can be incredibly healing when you're overwhelmed with sadness, anger, or frustration. Share your feelings until you start to feel better or until the tears subside.

• Crying is not something wrong, nor does it mean you're weak. Tears are a sign of strength. Remember: "We rise after every fall."
• Talk and try to express your feelings to someone close to you when you're feeling down. It could be a close friend or a family member. Always remember, crying is not a sign of weakness.
• If you have time, do something you enjoy to lift your spirits after crying.
• Instead of pushing those around you away when you're crying, open up to them.
• Understand that time will pass, and people won’t remember you cried.
• If you have to cry in class, lower your head or grab a book to hide the tears. Try not to sob loudly, or at least avoid sniffing, and always keep tissues handy to wipe away tears as soon as they fall. You can also cover your teary eyes behind your hair or bangs.
• Play a few sad songs on your phone or music player while you're crying.
• Sit and listen to music alone if it makes you feel more comfortable.
• Don’t be afraid to cry, because crying is not wrong.
• Remember that self-harming will not ease your pain.
• Make sure you have tissues, a handkerchief, or something to quickly absorb your tears to prevent them from falling onto your work or study desk.
• Crying doesn’t mean you're weak. Instead of holding it in, release your emotions through tears. If you want, cry in front of someone you trust, like your mother or your best friend.

• Don’t cry in front of your enemies. Cry to someone you trust or when you’re alone.
• Use waterproof mascara if you think you might cry during a date.
• You might face issues if you cry in a public place, like at school or work.

• Tissues
• A close friend or someone you trust
• Cleansing face wash or makeup remover