Ever cry from a TV show? Research says it’s good for you

We’ve cried at the TV before. Remember in Friday Night Lights when Tim Riggins goes back onto the field after his final football game and he leaves his cleats in the grass?

Remember how he set them down and looked at them and then looked up at the stands and lights, and then walked away without turning back?

That moment was so raw and meaningful, but it was also so, so sad. Did you cry during it? We did, just a little. Our partner had to run and grab some tissues for us.

All that is to say: Research shows that crying at TV shows has psychological benefits, so it’s okay to let your feelings show the next time you couch-lounge with your boo.

Jennifer Barnes, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Oklahoma, recently told Time Health: “When you spend an hour every week with a person for an entire television season, they really do become a sort of friend—it’s totally normal to feel upset over them.”

This kind of relationship is known as a parasocial, or one-directional, relationship. We know all about the lives of these TV characters, but they don’t know anything about us.

All the same, Barnes says parasocial relationships can still hold real-world benefits, including self-esteem boosts and decreased loneliness.

In broader terms, Barnes’ research has supported the idea that watching scripted television shows, especially award-winning dramas like The West Wing or Mad Men, can increase our understanding of emotions in ourselves and other people.

Other studies report that watching shows like that can increase altruism, too.

“The interesting thing is that our brains aren’t really built to distinguish between whether a relationship is real or fictional,”

Barnes says. “So these [parasocial] friendships can convey a lot of real-world benefits.”

Queue up another episode of Friday Night Lights, friend. It’s making you a better person.