Does Crying Burn Calories? The Surprising Truth

Does crying burn calories?
Yes, crying burns a small number of calories—about 1.3 calories per minute, but this is not enough to cause weight loss.

Crying uses metabolic energy like every other activity, but the calories it burns are minimal compared to physical activities like walking or running.

A viral internet post once claimed that crying for hours could help people burn calories to lose weight, but this is untrue. Crying does not burn enough calories to cause significant weight loss.

So why does crying burn calories at all, and how much energy does it really consume?

How Many Calories Does Crying Burn?

According to research, crying burns about 1.3 calories per minute, which is around 39 calories in 30 minutes, and 78 calories per hour.^[1]Watson, K. (2020, June 18). Does crying burn calories? Potential health benefits. Healthline This is almost about the same amount of calories consumed by merely sitting down: ~80 calories per hour.^[2]Harvard Health Publishing. (2021, March 8). Calories burned in 30 minutes for people of three different weights. Harvard Medical School.

Compared to standing, energy expenditure from sitting was only 0.15 calories less than standing. But while crying, sitting, and standing expend basal energy, neither of these is sufficient to cause significant weight loss in adults.

The following table compares the calorie expenditure with other common activities.

As shown above, crying burns calories at a rate similar to sitting, standing, or laughing, and far below structured physical activity like walking or running.

Why Does Crying Burn Calories?

Energy is involved in every activity or process that takes place within the human body. Every action causes a mechanical or chemical change within the cells, and these require energy or calories.

For example, mental activity results in the release of metabolic energy to support neuronal activity in the brain. Muscles utilize energy to carry out movement.

The body continuously expends energy even at rest through a process known as basal metabolic rate (BMR). This supports essential functions such as breathing, circulation, and brain activity, and this rate varies depending on factors such as age, sex, body composition, and overall health.^[3]INTEGRIS Health. (2023, April). What is BMR, and how can it help your weight loss journey? https://integrishealth.org/resources/on-your-health/2023/april/what-is-bmr

Crying often involves deep emotional and mental processes, increased heart rate and breathing rate, and the release of stress hormones, which can increase calorie consumption above the BMR but are insufficient to cause significant weight loss.

Does Crying Help You Lose Weight?

No, crying is not a reliable activity for losing weight. It also does not target fat loss in specific areas, such as belly fat. This is because the amount of calories burned is only a small fraction of basal energy consumption.

Two types of cry exist: emotional/psychic cry and reflex cry. Emotional or psychic cry, which is stimulated by intense emotions, may consume more calories than reflex cry, which is due to environmental irritants like dust, smoke, or tear-inducing vapors. But this is often not enough to help you lose noticeable weight.

Weight loss occurs when calorie expenditure exceeds calorie intake, and vice versa. With just about 1.3 calories in one minute and just 234 calories in 3 hours, crying is not a sustainable way of losing weight, even if you were able to cry for long hours daily.

Weight loss in people who are crying during grief may be due to associated loss of appetite (reduced intake), emotional stress, and hormonal effects, rather than just crying alone.

Activities That Burn Significant Calories

Since we have established that crying does not burn enough calories to cause weight loss, here are some activities you can engage in if you want to burn calories and unwanted body fat.

The following activities increase energy expenditure more than crying, making them more effective for calorie deficit and weight loss.

1. Aerobic exercises like cycling, jogging, and running
2. Skipping or rope jumping
3. Indoor/home workouts like planks, push-ups, pull-ups, and squats
4. Vigorous dancing
5. Gymnastics, etc.

Regularly engaging in the above activities can lead to significant calorie loss that causes weight loss over a period of time. For better results, pair this with a healthy diet by avoiding oversized meals, frequent late-night meals, and junk food.

Surprising Health Benefits of Crying

Studies suggest that crying may be associated with the release of feel-good hormones like oxytocin, dopamine, and endorphins, which provide relief for both physical and emotional pain. This may explain why people cry when in pain.^[4]Harvard Health Publishing. (2021, March 1). Is crying good for you? https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/is-crying-good-for-you-2021030122020

Here are some surprising health benefits of crying:

1. Relief from pain and distress through the release of endorphins
2. Stress relief
3. Enhances and stabilizes mood
4. May help recover from grief and loss
5. Lubricates the eyes and enhances vision
6. Enhances breathing in babies

Does Crying Burn Calories in Babies?

As a parent, you may worry that excessive crying could cause your baby to lose too much weight or affect their growth and development. But while babies burn calories when they cry, it is not enough to affect their health and calorie balance.

Do babies burn calories when crying?

Yes, babies burn calories when they cry. This is because crying in babies is a physical activity associated with increased body movements, increased breathing activity, and increased energy use.

However, the amount of energy lost when they cry is very small and insignificant to affect the baby’s overall energy balance.

Can crying cause weight loss in babies?

No, crying does not cause weight loss in healthy babies. And oftentimes, infant crying is followed by feeding, meaning frequent crying may promote more rapid weight gain.^[5]Worobey, J., Peña, J., Ramos, I., & Espinosa, C. (2014). Infant difficulty and early weight gain: Does fussing promote overfeeding?. Maternal & child nutrition, 10(2), 295–303. … Continue reading

If a baby is losing weight or not gaining weight as expected, it is likely due to the following rather than from crying:

• Poor feeding or low milk intake
• Illness or infection
• Digestive issues

Why do babies cry so often?

Babies cry as a means of communication. A baby’s cry could indicate:

• hunger,
• discomfort (heat, cold, or physical discomfort–space, pain, wet nappy, or gas),
• tiredness or inability to sleep,
• loneliness or wanting company, or
• wanting to play.

According to the Northern Ireland Direct, babies go through different crying periods, beginning from around two weeks of age to about three to four months old. For example, some babies will cry more in the evening at certain periods of their development or resist soothing at other times.^[6]NI Direct Government Services. (n.d.). Caring for your baby in their first weeks. https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/caring-your-baby-their-first-weeks

When should parents be concerned?

Crying in babies is often normal and does not indicate any serious problem. However, parents should pay special attention if the crying is unexpected, persistent, and accompanied by other symptoms.

Consider seeking medical advice if you notice the following symptoms:

• Excessive crying that cannot be soothed by things that once soothed the baby’s cry
• Crying affects feeding and sucking
• There is associated fever
• Signs of weight loss or poor weight gain
• Signs of dehydration, e.g., weakness, poor neck control, dry mouth, or sunken fontanelles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final words

Crying does burn a small amount of calories, but this is too small to have any impact on body weight and fat loss. Net weight loss is achieved by sustained calorie deficit through regular physical activity, avoidance of overeating, and healthy eating.

Crying can be better viewed as an emotional and biological response that helps with stress and communication. It also plays a crucial role in emotional health.

I hope this post answers your questions about the number of calories crying burns. If you found this helpful, let me know what you think in the comments section below, and come back for more science-based health insights about how the body works in health and disease.