Title: Try Not to Cry: Is Holding Back Tears Bad for Your Health? | Shape
Headings: Is It Bad for Your Health to Try ~ Not ~ to Cry?
Is It Bad for Your Health to Try ~ Not ~ to Cry?
Here's what happens to your body when you turn off the waterworks

Content: Try Not to Cry: Is Holding Back Tears Bad for Your Health? | Shape
Is It Bad for Your Health to Try ~ Not ~ to Cry? Here's what happens to your body when you turn off the waterworks
By Krissy Brady
July 27, 2016
1000-woman-covering-eyes.jpg
Shutterstock
The urge to ugly-cry always seems to strike at the worst possible times-at work, on a date-leaving you no choice but to postpone your sobs until further notice. But since crying isn't exactly something you can pick back up later (say, on a day off or when you finally have the whole place to yourself), what kind of mark does "sucking it up" leave on your body? Crying is essentially a release valve that rids your body of excess stress and tension, so when a sobfest is on the horizon and you hold it in, your body's sympathetic nervous system (or fight-or-flight response) kicks into gear, says Nicole Van Groningen, M.D., an internist at NYU Langone Medical Center. Your brain signals your adrenal glands to release stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. These chemicals boost your heart rate and blood pressure, which can translate into chest tightness and heavy breathing as you force yourself not to cry. These hormones can also mess with your appetite and blood sugar levels, hence the pre-meltdown butterflies and energy surge. "Suppressing an emotion (in this case, frustration or sadness) actually heightens it and makes you feel worse," says psychologist Nikki Martinez, Psy.