Women in the US cry about 3.5 times per month, while men shed tears about 1.9 times a month, according to data. However, society often sees crying as a sign of weakness. But if you feel like you need to cry, don’t hold back your tears. They indeed have more health benefits than we think.
This Bright Side article sheds light on some of the health benefits of crying.
5. Stress
A 2014 study found that crying may help people relax during stressful times. The results of crying are not immediate, and it might well take a couple of minutes before the body begins to relax.
According to the researchers, crying activates the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). When activated, the PNS has a calming effect on the brain.
4. Blood pressure
High blood pressure can lead to several serious health issues like stroke, heart attack, heart failure, dementia, and even kidney failure. But the good news is that according to several studies, crying not only lowers the blood pressure and keeps it in check, but an intense crying session can also steady the pulse.
3. Accumulation of toxins
Tears that flow from your eyes while crying can clear debris, like smoke and dust, from the eyes. Also, when we cry, our teardrops flush toxins that get accumulated in the body due to stress. This removal of toxins helps reduce the cortisol levels in the body, thereby resulting in a lighter mood. Therefore, it’s not surprising that we often feel the heaviness go away after a good crying session.
2. Mood swings
If you are wondering why your behavior has turned aggressive and you keep feeling anxious and irritated lately, then you should know that there can be no definitive answer. Mood swings can happen due to various reasons. One such reason is the accumulation of manganese in the body.
When we cry, this excess manganese flows out of the body along with our teardrops. This reduces its concentration in the body, and, as a result, makes you feel calm and focused.
1. Pain
When we are in physical pain a few teardrops often roll out involuntarily. This is the body’s way of reducing the pain sensation. Research has found that in addition to being self-soothing, shedding emotional tears releases oxytocin and endorphins. These chemicals make people feel good and may also ease both physical and emotional pain.
Remember tears can be shed both due to pain and happiness. Do you cry often? Do you feel relieved afterward?