Latest news with #crying
CBS News
2 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Is crying actually good for you?
Tears come for many reasons: a joyful reunion, a surprising win, a frustrating loss and a forever loss, too. And sometimes, tears come for reasons we can hardly explain. Dr. Katie Thorsness, a psychiatrist with Redleaf Center for Family Healing at Hennepin Healthcare, says crying is a multi-layered phenomenon. Reflex tears come from irritated eyes or cutting onions, while emotional tears come for many reasons. "These tears are a signal of what emotion am I feeling? And what can I do with that and how can I feel that in this moment?" Thorsness said. The tears themselves have a structure similar to saliva — composed of mucus, water and oil. And while babies don't develop tears until they're about 2 months old, the noise starts on day one. "Their brains aren't developed enough to tell us, 'Mom, I am hungry, I do need my diaper changed,' but they do know crying is a signal," she said. Thorsness says it's a way of communicating, flagging others that we need support, and a way the body takes care of itself. "We actually release and flush out a stress hormone which helps us internally feel better, and during crying we also release endorphins or feel good hormones in our biology as well," she said. "So you absolutely can feel better after a good cry." And there's no need to apologize for crying. Thorsness says crying is good for you and your health. As for when someone else is crying, she says it's important to acknowledge and just be there as they cry; words may not be necessary, just comfort. But she says if it becomes excessive and gets in the way of your life, check in with your doctor.
Motor 1
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
‘He Yearns For the Shop:' Woman Can't Get Her Baby to Stop Crying. Then She Turns on a YouTube Mechanic
A mom discovered the key to stop her baby from crying: Play the sounds of a mechanic's shop. Hannah Plunkett's TikTok depicts her baby's quiet enjoyment of service tech sounds. People overwhelmingly agree it's an early indicator of his future career path. Though it is possible it merely speaks to infants' and children's fascination with mechanics. Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . As of this writing, her post has 11 million views. Plunkett begins her video recording her child swaying to and fro in a baby carriage swing. The wide-eyed infant isn't making a sound. 'Baby has cried off and on all day for 10 hours. NOTHING has soothed him,' Plunkett writes in the text overlay. 'I have tried everything.' Then she tried something unconventional. 'Turned on mechanic sounds on YouTube and he instantly stopped,' she adds. She pans her camera to a TV that's playing a slideshow of different vehicles in a garage. As the images cycle through, the noise of drilling, hammering, and other service work plays in the background. All the while Plunkett's baby sits quietly, looking around the room. Kids Love Cars Trending Now 'What Do I Do?:' Woman's Car Gets Boxed-In On the Street. What Can She Do to Get Out? 'I'm Guessing You Have a Bad Radiator:' Woman Puts 'Whole Tub' of Coolant in Her Car. She Doesn't Understand Why It's Still Dry The child-centric blog, Romper , wrote about kids' obsession with automobiles. Child development experts told them kids like toy cars so much because it echoes real life. These toys are 'familiar objects,' which fascinate them. This logic could also explain why kids like playing with keys. Additionally, a pediatric psychologist noted that children with heightened levels of testosterone tend to be more fascinated with vehicles. There are perks to playing with toy cars, per Romper . Often, the storylines children craft when playing with toy vehicles include aspects of teamwork and problem solving. For example, a child may race a firetruck along the carpet to put out a fire and have police officers work together with emergency workers to save the people. Creating a course for cars to race on also helps tune a child's fine motor skills, Romper notes. So does piecing together a train set by linking carts together and setting up a track. Both these tasks require patience, focus, and hand-eye coordination. 'Babies With Preset Careers' Enjoying playing with toy cars is one thing. Being soothed by the sound of a mechanic's shop is another. 'Okay but how did we get to this discovery,' one person wondered. Another joked that the child is already a seasoned service tech veteran. '(Takes bottle out of mouth) you're gonna need a new alternator,' they wrote. As it turns out, Plunkett's baby isn't the only kid enthralled by automobile sounds. 'My daughter was teething really bad the other night, midnight screaming for an hour. My brother come out & said watch this…put skids on she stopped in 2.5 seconds,' one remarked. Another thought that the infant's love for mechanical sounds is a clear sign of his future vocation. 'Babies with preset careers are so funny to me,' they quipped. Motor1 has reached out to Plunkett via TikTok comment for further information. We'll update this if she responds. More From Motor1 'I Usually Buy a 6-Pack For Just $26:' Mechanic Says Always Use a Fuel Cleaner with PEA. Here's What You Need to Know 'Sometimes That Stand Will Tilt:' Veteran Mechanic Says You're Using Jack Stands Incorrectly. Then He Shows How to Do It Right 'Any Car I've Ever Owned:' Mechanics Reveal Which Cars 'Look Fast' But Actually Aren't 'That's One Way to Get a Free Rental:' Mechanic Calls Out Customers Who Get Their Car Serviced Just Before a Road Trip Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
South China Morning Post
10-07-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Why won't your baby stop crying? Genetics, not just parenting, play big part, study finds
How much a baby torments its parents with its cries is determined not just by parenting techniques by also by genes, new research has shown. After a study on hundreds of twins, a team of scientists in Sweden has concluded that how long a baby cries for is largely determined by genetic factors. The child's sleep quality and ability to be soothed during its first few months are also influenced by genetic predisposition. 'For parents, it may be a comfort to know that their child's crying is largely explained by genetics, and that they themselves have limited options to influence how much their child cries,' said study leader Charlotte Viktorsson, from Uppsala University in Sweden. A study on the sleep quality and crying duration in infants found twins woke up less frequently than single children. Photo: Shutterstock The team's analysis was based on questionnaires completed by the parents of 998 same-sex identical or fraternal twins when the children were two months and five months old.
Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Some babies really are born fussy, expert reveals - and there's not much parents can do about it
If you've ever wondered why your newborn seems hardwired to cry for hours while your friend's baby settles easily, new research suggests the answer might lie in their genes. Researchers have discovered that DNA accounts for a large portion of how much babies cry and how easily they calm down. The findings might provide some reassurance for exhausted families, who feel like they've tried everything to get their youngster to settle. However, it suggests that not much can be done to combat the issue. The team, from Uppsala University in Sweden, tracked 998 twins at two months and five months old. By comparing identical twins, who share 100 per cent of their DNA, with fraternal twins, who share around half of their DNA, they were able to separate genetic influences from environmental ones. The researchers asked parents questions about the children's sleep, crying and ability to settle. Their analysis, published in the journal JCPP Advances, revealed that at the age of five months genetic factors explained up to 70 per cent of the differences in crying duration among babies. Dr Charlotte Viktorsson, postdoctoral fellow in psychology and lead author of the study, said: 'What we found was that crying is largely genetically determined. 'At the age of two months, the children's genetics explain about 50 per cent of how much they cry. At five months of age, genetics explain up to 70 per cent of the variation. 'For parents, it may be a comfort to know that their child's crying is largely explained by genetics, and that they themselves have limited options to influence how much their child cries.' The study found a baby's ability to settle down was also largely determined by their DNA, accounting for up to 67 per cent of the variation between infants. 'How rapidly the infant settled was primarily due to the environment at two months of age, but by five months their genetics had gained some significance,' Dr Viktorsson explained. 'This reflects the rapid development that occurs in infants, and may indicate that parents' efforts in getting their child to settle may have the greatest impact in the first months.' However, genetics played less of a role when it came to how many times the children woke up during the night. This was mainly influenced by environmental factors, they discovered, such as sleep routines and the environment in which the child sleeps. Researchers from the RIKEN Centre for Brain Science in Japan claim that the trick to soothe a crying infant is carrying them in your arms for five minutes, then sitting with them in your arms for five to eight minutes, before placing them in their crib A study has previously claimed to have the 'recipe' to lull a baby to sleep - and it's surprisingly simple. From offering a pacifier to desperately singing lullabies, most exhausted parents will go to any lengths to get their baby to stop crying. But researchers from the RIKEN Centre for Brain Science in Japan claim that the trick to soothe a crying infant is to carry them in your arms for five minutes, then sit with them in your arms for five to eight minutes, before placing them in their cot. The team hopes the method will provide an immediate solution for crying infants, although they're unsure whether it will improve sleep in the long-term.
BBC News
04-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Crying at work - career damaging or just human?
Pictures of a weepy Rachel Reeves dominated the newspaper front pages and TV news after her tearful appearance at Prime Minister's Questions earlier this markets were spooked so much by her emotional appearance that the cost of government borrowing immediately jumped and the pound took a sight of most of us crying in the workplace is unlikely to move financial markets, but does it matter if you do? Does it show weakness, or strength, or simply that you're in touch with your emotions? Anecdotally, it's not unusual to have a bit of a sniffle at work. Several people got in touch with the BBC to say they had let it all out. Clara, 48, from Lancaster, said she had become emotional when she was a young graduate getting a "blasting", and years later "in frustration". "I've also cried after receiving bad news from home and left work immediately."Emma, meanwhile, felt she had to keep her emotions under wraps because she worked in "a tough male-dominated environment" and would give herself a hard time for "showing emotion or 'weakness'."Although some research has suggested women are more likely than men to cry, plenty of men told us they had also shed tears in front of colleagues. Guy Clayton, a doctor, said he had often cried "with patients, colleagues and families over the years, when I've shared their sadness".A 38-year-old from London who works in finance said he had become emotional at work when dealing with personal issues and felt it showed "a professional dedication" to still turn up. 'Strength, not a liability' So is crying a strength or a weakness? Executive coach and success mentor Shereen Hoban says it's old-fashioned to think weeping at work is unacceptable."We've moved beyond the old-school idea that professionalism means leaving emotion at the door," she says. "In today's world, emotional intelligence is a strength, not a liability." Career coach Georgia Blackburn says it's not unusual for people at work to be upset, so firms need to know how to handle and support staff who are feeling a bit she says it will mean workers get more done."An employer that truly listens, shows compassion and understanding, is so much more likely to keep their staff motivated and happier in the long run," she says. That's been the case for Amanda in Stockport who contacted the Jeremy Vine show on BBC Radio cried at a job interview at the University of Manchester 17 years ago, just after her father had been diagnosed with got the job and is still there. "I cried every day for about nine months until my dad sadly passed away. It just made me realise what an amazing person I work for, and what an amazing place I work at, where that was OK." 'Bring back crying' Fashion designer Amy Powney was having a bit of a rough time at the end of last was having an "intense" time leaving a job, and it coincided with traumatic things happening in her who founded sustainable fashion brand Akyn earlier this year, also felt pressure to be a "poster child" for ethical fashion."My to-do list at that time was: feed the kids, pick them up from school, sort that nursery thing out, design the next collection, make sure the staff are OK, sort out that VAT return... and then save the world," she told BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour."I went through this period of time where I just could not stop crying and I was doing it in public places, I was doing it on stage."She thinks that showing emotion at work has been "demonised" and is unapologetic about breaking down."I just think bring back the crying, bring back the emotions," she says."Women in leadership should be able to show their emotion. I think it's a superpower. I think it's a strength." Men v women, staff v bosses But not everybody thinks that way. Some people are still a teensy bit judgemental, says Ann Francke, chief executive at the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).Women who weep are seen as "too emotional" while men who mope can be shamed for being soft and vulnerable, she staff can get away with it more than their bosses, but this shouldn't necessarily be the case, she adds."When a senior leader cries, it can be seen as shocking or even inappropriate. But when handled with authenticity, it can also be powerful. It shows that leaders are human and care deeply about what they do," she says. But if you want to climb the greasy pole, it could be best to keep a stiff upper lip, at least in some organisations, says executive coach Shereen could affect your promotion prospects, she says. "Let's be honest. There's still a bias in some workplaces that sees composure as strength and emotion as instability."But she says some organisations see things differently, and value leaders who are "real, self-aware, and able to navigate complexity, including their own emotions".She adds that if you break down once at work it "won't ruin your career", and that what matters more is the bigger picture:"Your performance, your presence, and how you bounce back or move forward with intention," she says. What to do if you become tearful at work Give yourself permission to step back and take a momentYou don't need to hide your emotions, it often shows you care deeply about your job – that's not a bad thingBut you should feel supported, so maybe talk to a trusted colleague, take a short break or ask for support from your manager or HRManagers and colleagues need to acknowledge when their staff are crying – offer a tissue to them, don't pretend it's not happeningProvided by the CMI
