Why Crying Matters When Grief Feels Heavy

The holidays can reopen tender places, and the pressure to “hold it together” can feel unbearable. We lean into a different path: letting tears do their healing work. With warmth and clarity, we explore why crying is not a sign of weakness but a sign of love—and how it can bring real, measurable relief when grief feels suffocating.

We challenge the myth of a fixed timeline for mourning and from faith-centered lens, we see that Jesus also wept. We connect that spiritual truth to the body’s own design. Emotional tears can help release oxytocin and endorphins, the same feel-good chemicals that lower stress and ease pain. When the urge to cry builds, give yourself permission to release it, calm your nervous system, and create a little more room for hope.

Often, tears rise and recede like waves. There’s no set schedule for grief, and there’s no quota for tears. Some days you may weep; other days you may feel nothing at all. Both are normal. If the season feels heavy, consider this your invitation to be honest with your heart and your body. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help more people find comfort and courage when loss feels close.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Purpose
• 0:19 Crying And Cultural Misconceptions
• 0:50 Grief’s Emotional And Physical Weight
• 1:36 The Science Behind Tears
• 2:00 Permission To Release And Trust

Transcript

Constance Lavonice: 0:00

If you're going through a season of grief or loss right now, or if the holiday season brings up feelings of grief and loss, don't be afraid to cry, because crying is therapeutic. You're listening to Whole Heart Conversations, a podcast especially for women to receive biblical encouragement that fosters resilience through the practical application of God's word. I'm your host, Constance Lavonice. Some people view crying as a sign of weakness or believe that you shouldn't cry after a certain period of time has passed. But there is no time frame for grief and loss, and tears are an expression of your love for what is no longer in your life. Anyone who has ever experienced a significant loss knows that it can be emotionally overwhelming, but it also takes on a physical presence that can be suffocating, and crying can provide relief. Tears are an expression of your love. Research has shown that crying can help reduce stress and pain levels by releasing what we call feel-good neurotransmitters and hormones like oxytocin and endorphins. So the next time you feel the urge to cry, cry. Don't hold it in. Release it. It helps to relieve the emotional distress and the physical pain that goes along with it. I realize that some are afraid that if they release the floodgates of tears and crying, that they won't be able to stop. But you will. Another technique is to just schedule time to cry. That's something we do often in Mental health.