Researchers note that, on average, American women cry 3.5 times each month, while American men cry about 1.9 times each month.
30 to 64. The average number of times a year that women cry emotional tears, as compared with 5 to 17 times per year for men, according to a study of self-reports from more than 7,000 people in 37 countries.
According to this comprehensive study, the average American woman cries 3.5 times a month, while the average man sheds a tear 1.9 times a month. So for those of you who wonder if you cry too much, if you're having a good cry one to three times a month, rest assured, you're totally normal (apparently).
It's okay for men to cry. Crying can be a healthy way to process your emotions, and it can have a range of emotional and physical benefits. Hiding your emotions can make it harder to cope with your feelings and seek support.
The survey also found that 27 per of male respondents admitted to crying at least once every few months while 14 per cent said once a week. Two per cent said they cry every day, while six per cent say they never cry. The majority of women surveyed, however (47 per cent), admitted to crying at least once a month.
“Men cry less than women because of reasons linked to both nature and nurture,” she says. “Men have significantly lower levels of prolactin (a hormone found in emotional tears) compared with women.” So, the physiological explanation is hormone related.
Letting tears flow is actually one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself in a time of need. According to Dr. Elesa Zehndorfer, a licensed physiologist, author and Research Officer for British Mensa, “Crying releases oxytocin, a natural pain reliever, which immediately makes us feel calmer and more content.
A common symptom of midlife in men is to suddenly become more emotional. Men who have felt very little emotion for years find themselves moved to tears at movies, or find a lump in their throat when thinking about their family.
Gender, culture and tears
Frey, PhD, found that women cry an average of 5.3 times a month, while men cry an average of 1.3 times per month, with crying defined as anything from moist eyes to full-on sobbing.
Crying easily can be a symptom of depression, anxiety, or a lot of stress in your life. Since HSPs feel so deeply and can experience sensory overload, we're more susceptible to strong feelings of depression or anxiety. We might feel alone in our sensitivity or isolate ourselves to reduce excess stimuli.
A researcher in Holland, Professor Ad Vingerhoets decided to conduct a study to better understand human tears. According to his findings women cry between 30 and 64 times a year, and men only cry between six and 17 times each year.
There are no guidelines for how much crying is too much. A study in the 1980s found that women cry an average of 5.3 times per month and men cry an average of 1.3 times per month.
Crying is normal in healthy amounts—but what is a healthy amount? With no hard numbers as to how often we should cry, the American Psychological Association states that, on average, women cry emotional tears several times a month (30 to 64 times a year), while men may cry once every month or two (5 to 17 times a year).
Crying in response to emotions such as sadness, joy, or frustration is normal and has a number of health benefits. However, sometimes frequent crying can be a sign of depression. People may be depressed if their crying: happens very frequently.
"Crying activates the body in a healthy way," says Stephen Sideroff, Ph. D., a clinical psychologist at UCLA and director of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Ethics. "Letting down one's guard and one's defenses and [crying] is a very positive, healthy thing.
Women will cry 4,680 times over their adult lifetime — more than twice as much as men, a study has found. Sad TV shows or books, tiredness and arguments with their partner mean the average woman will cry six times a month — or 72 times a year. In comparison, men will shed a tear just three times a month.
Using a variety of measurements for emotionality, the researchers could find no significant difference between any of the groups. Men's emotions varied to the same degree that the women's did.
Female weeping dampens sexual arousal in men. Tears shed by women contain chemical signals that decrease sexual arousal and testosterone levels in men, according to a study.
Some men develop depression, loss of sex drive, erectile dysfunction, and other physical and emotional symptoms when they reach their late 40s to early 50s. Other symptoms common in men this age are: mood swings and irritability.
Research shows that men experience emotions at the same level that women do. But because it's not socially acceptable for a man to cry when he's sad, it can make it seem like men don't experience sadness at all.
Studies say men reach emotional maturity around 43, while 32 years of age is where most women mature. Considering both genders join the workforce or start a family much earlier than they have a decent level of control over their emotional state, this data explains why sometimes we choose the wrong paths in life.
Crying in boys and men is not a sign of weakness but one of the normal expressions of extreme joy or brutal loss, and it should be encouraged.
Steroid hormones and age-related alterations in secretion patterns have been suggested to play a crucial role in these age-related changes in emotional experience.
As emotions such as fear and sadness are generally not as accepted, men might try to hide these from themselves and those around them. They feel that they should be able to cope on their own. Individuals might try to cope with 'negative' emotions in one or more of the following ways: Withdrawing from family and friends.