The Science of Crying: Why We Cry and What it Does to Us

Crying is a natural human behavior that can be triggered by a wide range of emotions, including sadness, joy, pain, and frustration. But why do we cry, and what happens to our bodies and minds when we shed tears?

The Science of Crying

Crying is a complex biological process that involves the brain, the eyes, and the body. When we cry, our lacrimal glands in our eyes produce tears that flow down our cheeks. These tears contain a mix of water, salt, and proteins that help to keep our eyes lubricated and protect them from irritants, such as dust and smoke.

However, tears also contain stress hormones, including cortisol, which is released by the adrenal gland in response to stress. This suggests that crying is not just a physical response but also an emotional one.

Why Do We Cry?

There are many reasons why we cry, but most of them are related to emotions. When we experience strong emotions, such as sadness or joy, our body produces tears to help us cope with the intensity of the feelings. Crying can also be a way to communicate our emotions to others, as tears are a universal sign of emotional distress.

In addition, crying has been shown to have a range of physiological and psychological benefits. For example, tears contain a natural painkiller called leucine enkephalin, which can help to relieve physical pain. Crying can also help to reduce stress and anxiety by releasing pent-up emotions and reducing the levels of stress hormones in the body.

What Happens to Our Bodies and Minds When We Cry?

When we cry, our body undergoes a range of physiological changes that can affect our mood and emotions. For example, crying can cause the body to release endorphins, which are natural mood-boosters that can help to relieve stress and anxiety.

Crying can also activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for regulating the body's rest-and-digest response. This can help to reduce feelings of tension and anxiety and promote feelings of calm and relaxation.

On a psychological level, crying can help us to process and deal with our emotions. When we cry, we are forced to confront our feelings and acknowledge them, which can help us to work through them and come to terms with them.

Conclusion

In summary, crying is a natural human behavior that is triggered by a range of emotions. While tears serve a physical purpose by keeping our eyes lubricated and protected, they also contain stress hormones that suggest crying is an emotional response as well.

Crying can have a range of benefits for our bodies and minds, including reducing stress and anxiety, relieving physical pain, and promoting feelings of calm and relaxation. By understanding the science of crying, we can learn to embrace this natural behavior and use it to better manage our emotions and improve our mental health.

Crying is the dropping of tears (or welling of tears in the eyes) in response to an emotional state, or pain. Emotions that can lead to crying include sadness, anger, and even happiness. The act of crying has been defined as "a complex secretomotor phenomenon characterized by the shedding of tears from the lacrimal apparatus, without any irritation of the ocular structures", instead, giving a relief which protects from conjunctivitis. A related medical term is lacrimation, which also refers to non-emotional shedding of tears. Various forms of crying are known as sobbing, weeping, wailing, whimpering, bawling, and blubbering.

For crying to be described as sobbing, it usually has to be accompanied by a set of other symptoms, such as slow but erratic inhalation, occasional instances of breath holding and muscular tremor.

A neuronal connection between the lacrimal gland and the areas of the human brain involved with emotion has been established.

Tears produced during emotional crying have a chemical composition which differs from other types of tears. They contain significantly greater quantities of the hormones prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and Leu-enkephalin, and the elements potassium and manganese.