Have you ever wondered why we cry?
Regardless of the number of tears and how often it happens, we cry when we’re happy and, likewise, when we’re angry, sad, excited, or tired.
Some people experience crying frequently, while others don’t even know what it’s like to shed a tear and some people only get emotional only during a movie or when feeling empathetic.
Is that really possible?
One thing is certain: we’ve all cried at least once in our lives!
Why We Cry from a Physical Perspective
The reaction of crying is due to a connection between the front portion of the cerebral cortex and the limbic system, the source of emotional regulation.
In simple terms, strong emotions or external stimuli can activate our nervous system, which in turn controls tear production.
So, letting go and having a good cry can only do us good.
There Are Two Types of Tears
Tears can be triggered by either a physical response and/or other emotional factors.
The former are the tears that come when harmful external particles attack us, think of cutting onions or the classic fly that gets into your eye.
In these cases, tears help us expel the harmful substance.
The latter are tears that come as a reaction to strong emotions, such as sadness or joy.
In this case, not only do we shed tears, but we also experience a series of physiological reactions, such as an accelerated heart rate, increased sweating, and irregular breathing.
Why Do We Cry? It’s a Natural Painkiller
Our body is a perfect system.
So perfect that when we experience strong and painful emotions, it provides us with a natural painkiller: tears.
Shedding emotional tears, in fact, contains more hormones, including a neurotransmitter called leu-enkephalin, which functions like a painkiller and is released when the body undergoes intense stress.
It’s no wonder that after a good cry session, we start to feel better.
Crying Has a Social Function
When we suffer, we become somewhat childlike.
A baby’s cry, in fact, serves to get the mother’s attention, so she can provide the necessary care for a need.
Similarly, when it’s an adult, it takes on a relational function because it calls for comfort from others and strengthens social relationships.
Why Women Cry More Than Men
A study by clinical psychologist Ad Vingerhoets at Tilburg University has shown that women cry 30 to 64 times a year, while men only cry 6 to 17 times.
This difference can be attributed to different hormones (think of the tears shed during premenstrual syndrome) but also to the false cultural belief that teaches men it is a sign of weakness.
Nothing could be further from the truth; Tears protect us.
**Chrissy Teigen’s Pregnancy Loss Essay Has Me Ugly Crying At 9am**
This article first appeared on grazia.it — Author: Elisa Castellano
