Coming into this world, we first of all learn to cry, and only then to laugh. Our first tears become a mechanism for influencing the adults around us. It is with the help of tears that we notify them that we are hungry, tired or want to sleep. And, sometimes, we manipulate with tears and achieve that we, small children, are taken in our arms. We are getting older, growing up and we already have other ways of expressing feelings and desires. Ah, tears? We begin to be ashamed of them and cry less and less. In the world of adults, such a manifestation of feelings is called weakness. Therefore, by pushing emotions inward, we learn to control ourselves.
But, there are also tears of joy, in special and touching moments of life ...
Today we will talk about tears, About, what are tears what they are and try to answer the most main question – whether it is beneficial or harmful to express one's feelings in such a "tearful" way...
What are tears?
Do you know that crying is also possible in different ways? Scientists divide tears into two types - reflex (mechanical) and emotional. Now we will consider each of these types in more detail.
reflex tears- this type of tears is quite functional, as it moisturizes the mucous surface of the eye, cleanses it, protects it from friction and irritation, and from the effects external environment- dust, litter, wind. Remember, a cold autumn day, the wind that blows your face - tears well up in your eyes, but not at all because you are so imbued autumn landscape. It is noteworthy that this type of tears is also found in animals. One of the main biological features lacrimal glands and ducts is their feature when a pain signal enters human brain excrete with tears active substances which accelerate the healing process of bruises and wounds. So, if you hurt yourself - do not be ashamed of your tears, but start recovery programs in your body. In addition, scientists have already officially proven that people who let go of tears are less likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases. But, the trouble is, the older we get, the less often our eyes are moistened with such reflex tears. With age, this ability to secrete mechanical tears gradually disappears, which is why the eyes of old people look dull and seem to have lost their color pigment.
emotional tears- this is the result of our experiences. Interestingly, such a reaction to positive or negative incidents is inherent only in humans. In psychology, there is even a special term - " adaptation". So, emotional tears help a person to adapt to the situation, to accept what happened, it is easier to endure stress. Such tears help to cope not only with mental, but also with physical pain, they have a special bactericidal property and are able to stimulate the production of breast milk in a nursing mother. These tears contain a lot of protein. According to psychologists, and who, if not them, should know everything about the nature of this phenomenon - most often people cry still from grief, less often from happiness. But other emotions do not cause such manifestations of feelings in people.
What is included in the composition of our tears?
Ninety-nine percent of tears are water, and one percent is inorganic substances, such as chloride and carbonate of sodium, magnesium, phosphate and calcium sulphate and protein.
Scientists have already proven the fact that during crying, along with tears, harmful substances are removed from our body in such an original way. chemical substances, and the so-called stress stimulants - catecholamines. Catecholamines are especially dangerous for a young and growing organism. That is why both children and adolescents cry so often - they not only give vent to their emotions, but also trigger natural defense mechanisms, which help to protect both the physical and mental health. The human body produces a glass of tears every day!
So we have come to the moment when we can already answer our main question - but for health Is crying good or bad?
It turns out that it all depends on what you are crying about! Let's start with reflex tears- such physiological feature has a beneficial effect on our eyes and protects the delicate surface of the mucous membrane of the eye from damage. In addition, another feature of our body is that after tears, we breathe deeper and more evenly, and our body is in a relaxed state. What about emotional tears? Most psychologists tend to think that cry - you can and should. Such tears help to cope with stressful situation and literally relieve pain. As a rule, after such tears comes emotional relief. In addition, while crying, you get rid of harmful chemicals, your blood pressure normalizes. So holding back your tears is not a thankful thing. People who do this are prone to mental and nervous disorders.
Another explanation for why women live longer than men, is their emotionality and ability to cry. Men push their emotions deep, because someone said that men do not cry, such constant stress undermines their health and leads to early death. But, women who cry five times more often, giving vent to feelings, emotions and tears, live longer by an average of six to eight years than reserved men.
But, do not rush to cry with or without reason. In addition to the fact that those around you may simply misunderstand you, you can expose your nervous system to heavy load and everything can end for real nervous breakdown. Oh, and crying won't help you.
In addition, scientists argue that such a concept as the benefits and harms of tears are purely individual for each person - some tears help, and they really feel better, while others, on the contrary, feel emotional devastation after tears. And, to whom emotional tears are categorically contraindicated - these are people with an unbalanced psyche and suffering from anxiety syndrome.
Another feature of tears is that if we are sympathized while crying, we shed tears longer, but we usually feel better after such tear therapy ...
Yes indeed, you can forget the one with whom you laughed, but you can never forget the one with whom you cried ...
Let tears be in your life only for happy occasions and for joy, and after such tears it becomes light and easy in your soul.
Shevtsova Olga.
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Crying has received so many negative characterizations that it can be difficult to accept the fact that it has many positive aspects. This article sheds light on the benefits of crying.
Who says crying is bad for your health? So much has been said about the positive effects of laughter that people tend to associate crying solely with negativity. The fact that tears are caused by negative emotions does not mean that they are exclusively Negative influence.
As studies have found, crying can also be good for your health . Although there are no more positive aspects to this emotional manifestation than those associated with laughter, they certainly cannot be ignored. So if you feel like crying after a sad event, don't hold back those tears of sadness. Holding back emotions can actually be harmful. Crying allows you to release emotions and relieve tension. It can really help relieve stress, beat depression, and lift your spirits.
health benefits of crying
- stress reduction
Crying can be good for releasing emotional stress, which is considered to be the main trigger in the development of heart problems, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. In a 15-year study on human tears conducted at the University of Minnesota led by Dr. William Frey, it was noted that crying helps clear the body of chemicals/hormones that are formed under stress. Some of the main stress hormones are eliminated from the body through tears. The researchers, however, noted that crying associated with cutting onions is not effective in reducing stress. The study showed that tears caused by grief, sadness or resentment have a high content of protein-based hormones and adrenocorticotropic hormone. All of these hormones are normally secreted in response to stress. It is for this reason that people, after grief and emotional pain, tend to feel better after crying. In addition, when we cry, we tend to take deep breaths, which also contributes to
fight stress.
- Improves mood
In addition to relieving stress, crying can also help improve your mood. A study published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology looked at the effects as well as the causes of this display of emotion. Happy tears after any achievement provided the maximum improvement in mood. An increase in mood was also observed in the presence of someone who could console. Expressing your feelings in this way after a personal loss can help you deal with the situation and make you feel better afterwards.
Another theory proposed by scientists refers to the connection between crying and low level magnesium. It has been noted that too much manganese in the body can cause a negative effect on mood, which manifests itself in the form of nervousness and emotional disturbances. However, since tears contain significant amount manganese, crying can lead to low magnesium levels, which can positive influence on the mood.
- Expression of emotions
It is believed that negative emotions, if accumulated, can cause mental disorders such as depression . Crying helps express these deep emotions, which helps you feel better. Holding back negative emotions can also cause wide range chronic diseases including diabetes and arthritis. So, letting go of this emotional burden through crying is very important for overall well-being.
- Synthesis of endorphins
Apart from exercise and laughter, even crying promotes the synthesis of endorphins - chemicals that give a feeling of euphoria. Endorphins also have pain-relieving properties that is, they prevent pain signals from reaching the brain. This means that the endorphins associated with crying may also help relieve physical pain. So if you feel like crying after a traumatic experience, don't be shy.
- washes your eyes
Studies of human tears have shown that they contain lysozyme, an enzyme that is well known for its antibacterial properties. The enzyme destroys the bacterial wall, which is necessary for their survival. It is the antimicrobial property of human tears helps stop bacteria that can cause eye infections. In addition, the reflex tears that occur after exposure to smoke, dust, and onions really help protect the eyes from damage and avoid injury from these irritants.
- Removes toxins
Emotional tears that arise from sadness are full of toxic chemicals, as found in one study. By weeping the surplus of these toxic substances excreted from the body, which contributes to the improvement of the general condition.
- Lowers blood pressure
It should be noted that crying lowers blood pressure. Clearing negative emotions makes us feel better, which helps lower blood pressure and heart rate. In addition to the decline blood pressure, tears also help in lowering the heart rate.
While crying has its benefits, you don't have to bring yourself to tears every now and then. Only when you find that you are no longer able to carry the burden of emotional pain, especially after traumatic episodes, you just need to cry out.
Disclaimer: This article was written in information purposes and should not be considered as a substitute for professional medical advice.
An appointment with a doctor is absolutely free. Find the right specialist and make an appointment!
Every person learns to cry from the moment they are born. For small child crying is a kind of mechanism of influence on others. Thus, he notifies everyone that he is hungry or feels unwell, for example. With the help of tears, the child also attracts attention.
When a child grows up, he already begins to be ashamed of his tears and cries less and less. This is especially true for male children. But still, there are moments when even the most severe men cannot hold back their tears.
Moreover, it should be noted that people cry not only from grief, but also at the most touching moments or even from happiness.
reflex tears
As you know, tears can be divided into mechanical and emotional. Mechanical tears serve to cleanse and moisturize the eyes. They are reflex in nature. We need these tears to keep our eyes healthy. The mucous membrane of the eye is very delicate and dries out quickly. Without moisture, it can very easily be damaged.
As we age, our eyes gradually lose their ability to be adequately moistened with tears. For this reason, the eyes of old people seem to us as if faded and dull.
artificial tears
Hydration of the mucous membrane of the eye is especially important for those who spend long hours at the computer or in front of the TV. Very often, such people suffer from dry eyes. There is a feeling as if something is interfering inside the eye all the time.
Therefore, such people are advised to blink more often. During blinking, the tear film is distributed over the surface of the eye, which consists of three layers: mucous, water and lipid. However, for some, this does not help either. For such cases, scientists have created artificial tears. Their use avoids drying of the mucous membrane of the eyes.
The benefits of emotional tears
Emotional tears are triggered by a variety of strong emotions. Most of psychologists believe that crying is good for health.
In this case, only real emotional tears are meant, and not artificially caused. Tears have been proven to be somewhat of a pain reliever. When a person experiences severe shocks, many “stress hormones” are produced in his body. In a difficult situation, a person usually has enough strength only to cry. But this is what brings him psychological relief.
In addition, by crying, the human body gets rid of harmful substances that could harm it.
Tears are also able to normalize blood pressure and have an anti-stress effect.
Scientists have discovered that tears even help heal small wounds on the skin. This property helps the skin under the eyes. long time don't get old.
The chemical composition of tears
Holding back tears is bad for our health. Thus, people who do not cry are much more likely to suffer severe nervous disorders and mental illness.
Scientists have carried out research on chemical composition human tears. They discovered that during crying, harmful chemicals are removed from the body along with tears, as well as catecholamines, which are stress stimulants. These stimulants pose the greatest danger to the young organism. It is for this reason that children cry much more than adults. This natural protective natural mechanism protects children's health. Tears also promote milk production in breastfeeding mothers. They also contain antibacterial substances.
By the way, the human body annually produces a glass of tears. Moreover, their number does not depend on the age or gender of people.
Tears prolong life
Tears to some extent contribute to the prolongation of life. The ability to cry properly gives the body a strong psychological release. We can say that, in this way, crying helps us to effectively deal with stress.
As you know, women live longer than men. This is due to several factors at once. One of them is the emotional restraint of men. Men do not cry, thus preventing their emotions from breaking out. negative emotions while accumulating inside, gradually undermining health. Women, on the contrary, tend to give vent to their emotions and tears.
Crying is also beneficial from a physiological point of view. It leads to relaxation and slowing of breathing, has a calming effect.
Harm of tears
However, tears can sometimes be harmful. So, for example, scientists from Holland do not recommend crying too intensely. Nervous system some people can get overtired from it. You need to learn to cry in such a way that it brings relief, and not vice versa. It can even be said that the benefits of crying depend mainly on the circumstances and individual characteristics each specific person.
To this end, Scientific research. So, psychologists offered special tests to American volunteers. They had to describe how they felt after crying. For this, more than 3 thousand people were examined and interviewed.
Most of the test subjects experienced a sense of relief. However, about a third of those surveyed said they experienced absolutely no relief. And 10% of the participants generally said that after crying they only got worse.
As a result, scientists have concluded that there is a certain category of people who are contraindicated in crying. These people have various emotional disorders and suffer from increased anxiety. After crying, they feel only burden internal state. Experts also noticed that it becomes easier after crying, especially for those who managed to arouse the sympathy of others.
But it should also be noted that in laboratory conditions it is quite difficult to study the emotional nature of tears. After all, the studied volunteers feel additional stress from the consciousness that they are being observed.
Most of us associate tears with sadness, anger, joy, or even laughter. All these are strong emotions that are caused by certain actions or circumstances. What if you found out that crying is also beneficial? What is the effect of tears on health and what are their benefits?
According to statistics, women cry 47 times a year, while men - only 7. In any case, these facts indicate that it is sometimes useful for all of us to shed a tear.
stress and tension
We cannot ignore the fact that tears can be a relief. It helps to reduce anxiety levels, relieve stress and tension, and clear the mind. The longer we hold on to emotions, the more likely it is that things will explode at some point. According to studies, 88.8% of people feel better after crying, and only 8.4% feel worse.
It makes us happier
Tears are useful at certain times, because they allow you to track your every emotion. Thus, it serves as proof that you are really happy, funny or funny. Tears intensify emotions and make them more vivid.
Detoxification
Like all fluids that leave our body, tears help get rid of toxins. When we cry they take a piece with them chemical compounds that appear as a result of emotional stress.
Nose cleaning
Tears pass through the nasal passage where they come into contact with mucus. If there is accumulation here, then tears can loosen it and clear the nose.
Lowering blood pressure
Studies have shown that crying can lower blood pressure and heart rate.
Eye cleaning
Our eyeballs need constant lubrication to protect them from dust and bacteria. Tears serve as an additional factor that affects this process.
