What Does Swearing Says About You?

4. It improves your pain tolerance

Swearing can help you cope with pain. Researchers believe that when you swear, your body produces a stress response that activates an ancient defensive reflex. As your heart rate and adrenaline levels increase, your muscles prepare for a fight-or-flight situation. This is accompanied by a physiological reaction, which makes your body less susceptible to pain. This has been shown in several studies, including instances where volunteers submerged their hands in ice water for as long as possible while repeating their swear word of choice. Those who used curse words were able to keep their hands in the ice water for longer.