Real men don’t cry – but they should

Crying offers “near-magical benefits” for mental and physical health, says Tanner Garrity in Inside Hook. All of us – particularly men – should do it more. Women cry five times more often than men, and they cry for longer, typically six minutes per blub compared to just three for men. Crying releases oxytocin, a natural pain reliever that makes us feel calmer and more content. It also dials down the stress hormone cortisol. In fact, tears are “swimming with stress hormones”, which get flushed out during a good cry.

The Japanese shed fewer tears than anyone else in the world, which gave Japanese entrepreneur Hiroki Terai an idea. He used to organise “divorce ceremonies” for parting couples in need of closure, watching clients cry during his sessions, then leave feeling “refreshed and at peace”. So he gave it a name – rui-katsu, meaning “tear-seeking” – and started a new business a decade ago. Japanese adults attend rui-katsu sessions across Tokyo, where they watch “sad movies, heartwarming ads, people losing their pets”, and shed a health-giving tear.