It turns out, if our eyes are the windows, our hips are the doors to our teary, teary souls. “Hip-opening poses such as pigeon pose and yogi squat are most likely to bring on a flood of sadness because of the tightness and tension we naturally store in and around our hip area,” stays Stewart.

“All of that tension can build up over time, trapping negativity and old feelings along with it. When you finally release it, these kinds of emotions can surface too.”

According to yoga teacher Joelle Pettitt, there’s a further physiological, and somewhat evolutionary, reason why crying happens too. “When we are feeling vulnerable, depressed or under threat, we might see our posture become more “curled-in” as a way to protect ourselves from the external world,” she says.

“Our vital organs are all placed on the front of the body and, when we are threatened, it’s a natural response to fold in and protect this area from harm. Unfortunately, the nervous system doesn’t always distinguish life-threatening physical harm from a build-up of day-to-day stress.

“Why does yoga make me feel all emotional?”