There is something intrinsically soothing about dropping an F-bomb when you crack your knee on the side of the table. We know it helps to yell out ‘jou ma se’ when a taxi cuts you off in peak traffic. We don’t need science to tell us this.

It is rather handy, though, when science backs up our intuition. According to a study conducted in the UK at Keele University, blurting out dirty words can actually help us deal with pain a little better. The study asked participants to place their hands in a bucket of freezing water, testing their resilience to the icy conditions. This from Mic:

Half of the participants could repeat their obscenity of choice during the experiment, while the other half had to endure the pain without letting curses fly. As researchers predicted, the profane group lasted longer. Repeating “fuck” and “shit,” researchers believed, helped people get through pain by distracting them from it.

And it turns out those terrible drivers may actually be increasing your swear vocab.

…researchers asked participants to play either an aggressive video game or a more sedate golf game. People who played the aggressive game, researchers found, came up with a wider variety of obscenities on request.

There you have it, potty mouths nationwide, proof that saying all those dirty words is beneficial. Now loosen up your vocal chords and get ready for the drive home, and feel free to send a link to this post to your boss.

[source:mic]