Having a good cry at the end of a long day can do more for your health than you think.
Humans cry for a number of reasons and to varying degrees, but there is no denying that everyone cries. And yet, this very human action is often regarded as a sign of weakness. Women are constantly told that they are “too emotional”. To refrain from becoming victims of gender bias in the workplace, many would opt for appearing cold-hearted rather than “too soft”. The same goes for men. In order to maintain a masculine image, some men would rather internalize their feelings than express them in an organic manner. This fear of weakness and imperfection, and by proxy – tears, is universal.
A study was recently published in the scientific journal Nature and it looked into the emotional differences between men and women, testing to see if women really are more emotional. They concluded that the groups had vastly more similarities than differences, meaning that men and women are almost equally emotional, with only slight variations stemming from ovarian hormones. Even then, these differences were not big enough to have a significant impact on the study. The Forbes article, “Men Are Just as Emotional as Women, Study Suggests”, indicates that one of the reasons why women are perceived as more emotional is due to how society frames emotions as wrong and then declares that having a uterus causes these negative emotions. The other reason is based on the different narratives used when speaking about a man versus a woman. For example calling a man “passionate” but a woman “angry” when they are upset. No matter the gender everybody has emotions and there are many practical reasons why we should let them all out.
There are not only benefits to letting the water works flow, but also risks if one doesn’t. “Is Crying Good for You?” an article by Harvard Health Publishing, reveals that holding in tears can lead to, “a less resilient immune system, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension, as well as mental health conditions, including stress, anxiety, and depression.” Crying is a very natural reaction, and going against this nature has its risks. There are valuable reasons for these tears.
Would you judge a baby for crying? No, because it is in their nature, and they don’t have any other means of communication with a world they do not yet understand. Crying is biologically built into humans; it wouldn’t be there if there wasn’t a purpose. MedicalNewsToday names the three types of tears that humans produce and why we produce them:
1. Basal: These are the tears that keep your eyes from drying out. They are antibacterial and full of protein, helping to keep your eyes healthy and clean.
2. Continuous (Reflex): When your eyes get itched, scratched, hit or suffer any other number of injuries, these tears are produced to lessen the blow.
3. Emotional: These are the tears that usually come to mind when we think of crying. They are shed for various reasons, and while it may feel horrible in the moment they have many benefits that actually improve well-being after the matter.
Sometimes, life simply gets to be too much, and this feeling can only be expressed with a salted water droplet sliding down the side of your cheek. The Healthline article, “Six Surprisingly Practical Reasons We Cry”, can offer us some insight as to why humans cry.
The first reason: to get help. In a 2013 study, the participants who were seen visibly crying were perceived as needing more help than those who were not crying. It helps us to alert others that something is wrong.
The second reason: to relieve pain. Whether it is a quick burst and a sharp hurt that brings pools to one’s eyes or a long lasting deep ache, crying has proven to lessen pain. It was also found that when crying endorphins and oxytocin are released, chemicals known for their positive mood-altering effects.
The third: to bond. Crying in front of someone else shows that the person crying feels safe and trusts the person they are crying in front of. That person has the opportunity to comfort and show how much they care. Being able to be vulnerable in front of someone else promotes connection and compassion, forming a stronger bond between the comforter and the comforted.
The fourth: processing emotions. Whether it is grief, anger or simply a combination of everything, crying offers some relief from overwhelming feelings that we can’t comprehend or process. It even happens when we are happy or in love! Happy tears can spill out when laughing hard or loving someone deeply.
The fifth: to sympathize. Why do we cry when we watch sad movies? Because we feel the sorrow or pain of the character on the screen. It is the same when we see a friend or family member crying. When we see someone crying, we care that they are going through a tough time. It is natural that if they are shedding a few tears, you might as well. It ties into the bonding aspect of crying and can help someone assess the character of someone else.
The sixth: to get needs met. When a problem seems unsolvable or unconquerable, some may resort to tears. This may be a byproduct of learned helplessness, which is a mental state that occurs when a person faces an unpleasant situation or stimuli and will do everything to avoid such. Even if the person has the ability to leave a situation they won’t out of fear of facing this stimuli and the inability to control the situation – more can be seen in the article “Learned Helplessness”. In order to avoid this unpleasantness some may cry out real or feigned anxiety. Think of the phrase “crocodile tears”.
There are still many other benefits: detoxifying the body, self-soothing, improving mood/restoring emotional balance, and helping sleep according to the Healthline article, “Nine Ways Crying May Benefit Your Health”. There are truly so many benefits, which is why it should be encouraged not discouraged. Everyone does it, so why feel ashamed about it? In being more open and honest about our emotions there is so much to be gained, not only as an individual but as a society as well. Crying shows that you are a caring person capable of great emotions, which is why everyone should cry more!