Swearing has a bad reputation. But over the last fifteen years, a growing body of psychological research has found that letting a well-placed expletive fly isn't just cathartic — it appears to come with genuine physiological and social benefits. Here's what the studies actually show.

1. It raises your pain tolerance

The best-known research on this comes from Dr Richard Stephens and his team at Keele University. In their original 2009 study, volunteers were asked to submerge a hand in ice-cold water — once while repeating their go-to swear word, and once while repeating a neutral word. Across the board, people held their hand underwater significantly longer while swearing, alongside a rise in heart rate and a drop in how painful the experience felt.

The effect has since been replicated multiple times, including a follow-up study in which participants kept their hands in ice water for an average of 31 seconds longer while swearing than while using a neutral word. One popular science write-up put the pain-tolerance boost at as much as a third.

The leading theory is that swearing triggers the body's fight-or-flight response — the same system that floods you with adrenaline in a moment of danger — which produces a short-term numbing effect.

2. It lowers stress

Beyond pain, swearing appears to have a measurable effect on stress hormones. Research reviewed by psychologist Richard Stephens found that people permitted to swear during a stressful task showed a notable drop in cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone, compared with those who weren't allowed to curse. In plain terms: swearing under pressure may genuinely help you calm down, not just feel like it does.

3. It can boost physical performance

It's not just pain and stress — swearing may make you stronger, at least briefly. In a 2017 study presented by Stephens and colleagues at the British Psychological Society's annual conference, participants who swore before a short cycling sprint produced more power, and those who swore before a grip-strength test squeezed harder, compared with using a neutral word.

4. It brings people together

Swearing has a social side too. A 2022 review of more than 100 academic papers on swearing — co-authored by Stephens and published in the journal Lingua — found that shared profanity can build camaraderie and trust within groups, particularly among people facing a shared challenge. Separate research into workplace swearing among lawyers, doctors, and executives found it was linked to stress relief, richer communication, and stronger team bonds, when used appropriately for the setting.

So, swearing: good for you?

None of this is a licence to go around being a dick and swearing at people — the research consistently draws a line between “annoyance swearing” (venting frustration at a situation) and swearing directed at other people, and it’s the former that carries the benefits. But for blowing off steam, getting through something painful, or bonding with the people around you over a shared laugh, the science is surprisingly clear: a bit of swearing is good for you.

Which, frankly, is the entire reason F**k You Jerome! exists — because if it's this good for you, it might as well be fun too.

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Further Reading…

• Stephens, R., Atkins, J., & Kingston, A. (2009). Swearing as a response to pain. NeuroReport / published research summarised via PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19590391/

• Robertson, O. et al. Swearing as a Response to Pain: Assessing Hypoalgesic Effects of Novel "Swear" Words. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7204505/

• Frontiers in Psychology — F@#$ pain! A mini-review of the hypoalgesic effects of swearing: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1416041/full

• Washington Post — Swearing is linked with increased pain tolerance and strength (2025): https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2025/03/05/swearing-pain-tolerance-strength-science/

• Psychology Today — Swearing Can Boost Strength and Reduce the Sensation of Pain: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201705/swearing-can-boost-strength-and-reduce-the-sensation-pain

• CBC Radio — Not only does swearing feel good, it's also good for you: study (2022), covering the Lingua review: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/study-suggests-swearing-feels-good-1.6644882

• ScienceDirect — The power of swearing: What we know and what we don't: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002438412200170X

• TIME — The Surprising Health Benefits of Swearing (2025): https://time.com/7272667/swearing-curse-words-health-benefits/