After I had kids, crying seemed to happen more often. Now it seems crying is far too easy and happens often, so I did some research. Here is what I found:
The tears that lubricate and protect our eyes each time we blink are called basal tears. These tears come from a gland under the eyelid. Then there are tears that come from our tear ducts, created by the lacrimal glands. These tears can be caused by irritation of the eye or by emotions, either happiness or sadness.
A leading researcher on crying, Ad Vingerhoets, PhD, says that women cry 2 to 4 times per month, while men cry only about once every other month. In his research he has also found that women cry longer than men. He believes that women cry more often than men because they are exposed to emotional circumstances more often than men.
Harvard Health Publishing states that crying appears to be good for your health. The study finds that crying allows us to release stress and emotional pain. They also say it is important that we allow ourselves to cry during times of grief as this can help us heal.
Other research done by the National Institutes of Health has found that crying is soothing and that emotional tears release oxytocin and endorphins, which can help reduce physical and emotional pain and promote a sense of wellbeing.
Studies have linked repressive coping (when you hold back your tears) to hypertension and a lower immune system. This study also states that repressive coping can lead to additional stress, anxiety, and depression.
One word of caution is to watch for uncontrollable crying that happens often and for no apparent reason. You may want to seek help from a medical professional if this is happening and they can suggest treatment.
We now know that crying can be good for our health; let’s take some advice from the studies and data and treat ourselves to a good cry!
No longer will I hold back tears. Crying is good for you. ~Shanna Beaman
