Nicholas Sparks’ books have been making readers cry since The Notebook was released in 1996, and millions are hooked by the emotional draw of his novels. Many readers just can’t help but cry at the heartfelt, sometimes tragic, endings that tug at their heartstrings.

But what if reading novels that make you cry is actually good for your mental health?

Researchers have discovered that there are numerous benefits of having a good cry—some have found that it can be cathartic, making space for built-up emotions to find release. This is particularly the case for adults who are not struggling with depression, a crisis, or an unsupportive social circle (Bylsma, Vingerhoets, & Rottenberg, 2008). As we get older, we tend to cry more often for positive reasons, being soulfully touched by instances of altruism, compassion, and empathy in society (Vingerhoets and Bylsma, 2016).

Sparks agrees: “Crying can provide cathartic and healthy benefits,” he said in an interview with Psychology Today. “I’ll add that research shows that it can also lower stress in the aftermath. I’m not, however, saying that all of my novels will do such a thing—I have written novels with what I consider to be happy endings—but I believe that the evocation of genuine emotion, including sadness, is a critical aspect of any good, or great, novel.”

While research shows that women shed more tears than men, Sparks posits that men are no less emotional—tears or not (Vingerhoets and Scheirs, 2000).

Q: Research shows that men cry less than women in most cultures, and the lack of gender differences in crying behavior in babies........

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