When was the last time you cried?
More importantly, how did this question make you feel?
Crying is one of the most controversial human activities
In many cultures around the world, crying is seen as a display of weakness.
Which is why nobody likes to cry, myself included. Especially in public.
Personally, I think I would rather chew uncooked broccoli than cry in public.
And believe me, I hate broccoli.
Whenever someone cries, perhaps more so in males than females, the reaction they get is almost always pity, discomfort, embarrassment, judgment, or even quiet disgust.
Which begs the question:
Why does this simple biological process invoke such a visceral reaction in people?
What if I told you that crying was great for your nervous system?
Apparently, that is what some researchers think.
According to a 2019 study, The Neurobiology of Human Crying, by Bylsma, Gračanin, and Vingerhoets; human tears may contain traces of stress related chemicals and hormones like cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. Tears are also said to contain manganese and other substances, which are all linked to stress regulation.
Could this explain why we feel lighter and more relaxed after crying?
That’s not all.
In another 2009 study conducted by Messmer on emotional tears, he found that all tears don’t carry the same weight. For instance, emotional tears contain different chemicals different from reflex tears, such as when you are cutting an onion. It appears emotional tears contain higher concentrations of protein, prolactin, manganese, potassium, and serotonin, which are all chemicals connected to stress and emotional regulation.
Last but definitely not least, a 2014 research on emotional suppression by Gračanin, Bylsma, and Vingerhoets found that crying is a way for the body to move trapped emotions out of the body.
There’s a popular law in physics which says that energy cannot be created nor destroyed but can be converted from one form to another.
The researchers found that constantly suppressing sadness, grief, fear, or disappointment can eventually show up as tension, irritability, headaches, sleep problems, anger, anxiety, or emotional numbness.
Crying gives the body a physical outlet for emotions that the body has been holding onto.
Isn’t that amazing?
Who knew crying came with these benefits?
Does this change your perception of crying?
The next time you feel tears welling up inside, will you hold back, or would you let it rip?
Enjoyed this? I write weekly reflections on practical psychology, mental wellbeing and emotional health, with tips to help you become better every day.