Do I cry too much or too little?

How often do people cry?

Women cry an average of 4-5 times per month, while men average 0-1 times per month (Vingerhoets, 2013). This gender gap appears consistently across cultures, though it's smaller in countries with greater gender equality.

Crying frequency by gender

• Women: 4.7 times/month (median ~4)
• Men: 1.0 times/month (median ~0.5)
• Gender ratio: Women cry ~4-5x more often
• Average duration: Women 6 min, Men 2-3 min

Why the gap exists

• Biological: Prolactin (higher in women) may lower the crying threshold
• Social: Boys learn to suppress crying from age ~10-12
• The gap shrinks in more gender-equal countries (Sweden, Norway)
• Crying is psychologically beneficial — it activates the parasympathetic nervous system

Sources: Vingerhoets (2013, "Why Only Humans Weep"), ISAC cross-cultural study (37 countries), Bylsma et al. (2011).