Is crying good for you?

Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing.

In this episode, they turn to something many of us are familiar with - crying. We cry with laughter, with sadness, and in moments of awe or overwhelm, but it can also be a surprisingly confusing part of our emotional lives. Some people welcome a good cry, while others rarely, if ever, shed tears. Why do we cry? Why do we sometimes feel better after we cry? Is crying actually any good for us?

To help answer these questions, they’re joined once again by counselling psychologist Kimberley Wilson, host of What’s Up Docs? sister podcast Complex.

If you want to get in touch, you can email us at whatsupdocs@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken Guest: Kimberley Wilson Producer: Faye Lyons-White Executive Producer: Jo Rowntree Researcher: Dr Samara Linton Visual Producer: Leon Gower Technical Lead: Reuben Huxtable Digital Lead: Richard Berry Composer: Phoebe McFarlane Sound Design: Melvin Rickarby

At the BBC: Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4