Yes, crying does burn calories, albeit a small amount.
Calorie Expenditure During Crying
While not a significant calorie burner compared to exercise, crying does expend energy. According to one study, it's estimated that crying burns roughly the same amount of calories as laughing, approximately 1.3 calories per minute.
How Many Calories Can You Burn?
Based on the 1.3 calorie per minute estimate:
| Crying Duration | Estimated Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 5 minutes | 6.5 calories |
| 10 minutes | 13 calories |
| 20 minutes | 26 calories |
Therefore, a 20-minute cry session would burn approximately 26 more calories than you would have burned otherwise. While this is not a large number, it's still a small amount of energy expenditure associated with crying.
Factors to Consider
- Emotional Intensity: The intensity of the emotional response could possibly affect the amount of energy expended, though the source material does not detail this.
- Individual Variation: Calorie burning can vary from person to person due to differences in metabolism, body composition, and other factors. This 1.3 calorie per minute estimate is an average, and individual results may vary.
Is Crying a Weight Loss Strategy?
It's crucial to emphasize that crying is not an effective or healthy method for weight loss. The calories burned are minimal, and relying on emotional distress to burn calories would be detrimental to overall well-being. It's essential to focus on a balanced diet and regular physical activity for healthy and sustainable weight management.
