When cursing is good for your health

From an early age we're taught not to curse — usually right around the first time we hear an adult let an expletive slip in front of us (and immediately repeat it back to them). While we typically try to curb our "dirty mouth" when in the presence of family or co-workers, swear words make up almost one percent of our daily vocabulary, according to research done by Timothy Jay, psychological scientist and author of Cursing in America. To put that number into perspective, we use words like "we, our and ourselves" at around the same daily rate.

The repercussions of inappropriate cursing are pretty obvious (calling your boss that expletive likely won’t end well), but are there any pros to letting the occasional expletive slip when something doesn't go our way? Hell yes there are. As it turns out, that potty mouth of yours can be beneficial in certain scenarios. Here's a look at when and how cursing can actually be helpful for your health.

It helps with pain management

You're rushing to get ready for work in the morning. Just as you're about to head out the door you stub your toe on the corner of the kitchen table and yell your expletive of choice as a knee-jerk reaction. If that stinging foot doesn't feel quite as painful immediately after you've cursed it out, it's not just in your head. A study done at Keele University in the U.K. measured the effects swearing had on pain tolerance, and found that we can withstand more pain when using profanity. Why is that? "When we swear, it sends a message to the amygdala in the brain," explains Amy Cooper Hakim, Ph.D, practicing in Florida. "The words themselves don’t help us to better tolerate pain — but the emotional and physical reaction that we have by saying the words triggers the fight or flight response, which then gives us that burst of energy to make it through the difficult or painful task." So the next time you hurt yourself, feel free to curse at whatever inanimate object is to blame.

It improves your workout

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If the most grueling parts of your workout have you cursing your instructor in your head, there's research to support that vocalizing those swear words can actually help boost your performance. (Though you might want to stick to a general expletive rather than directing it at Chad during TRX.) The study found that participants who swore saw a 2 to 4 percent increase in performance and 8 percent boost in strength compared to those who kept their mouths shut. Why does this help? Researchers surmise that when you're alone with your thoughts, suffering through your workout in silence, there's nothing distracting you from the task at hand. Cursing diverts your attention, which makes you work harder than if you were only focusing on how tough the workout is.

It releases stress

As it turns out, there's some science behind why cursing when you're angry or frustrated makes you feel better. "Cursing can be an effective emotional release, especially for anger and frustration," explains Laura MacLeod, LMSW practicing in New York. "By using words that are not welcomed or appropriate in most settings (professional, family, social) it can be very liberating to throw caution to the wind and curse." According to MacLeod, this stress release initiates from the physical exercise of cursing. "Curse words are usually uttered with fury or frustration — the whole body is involved," she explains. This provides a different release than when we're simply venting without expletives, because we're doing so without self-imposed limitations. "When we complain, vent or share anger without cursing, we are keeping ourselves in check," she says. "The stress is not released because we are sharing within guidelines, not totally releasing all feelings. When cursing, our whole body and all emotions are connected — no guidelines, no filter. The release is complete, and thus stress relieving."