A recent study has found that crying – we’re talking mascara-running-down-your-face, gulping-like-a-fish type stuff – can effectively kick extra kgs to the curb. This is because the hormones associated with extreme emotions heighten cortisol levels which can lead to a build-up of fat around the middle if not released.
This backs up the findings of biochemist William Frey, who in 1982 reported that crying could assist in the removal of toxic substances that build up in the body due to stress.
One catch: they need to be psychic tears (i.e. those trigged by real feelings and emotions) to reap these weight-loss benefits. Meaning not basal tears (the kind that keep our eyes moist) or reflex tears (the stuff we shed involuntarily due to environmental factors like dust, smoke and wind.)
Funnily enough, the research also suggests there may be a peak time of day to maximise this effect: (between 7pm to 10pm, for those wondering.)
Guess we know what we’ll be doing tonight! *adds Marley & Me to Netflix cue*
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