Crying is a phenomenon unique to humans, and it is a natural response to a range of emotions, from deep sadness and sadness to excessive happiness and joy. But is crying good for your health? How does it affect the body? Why do I cry while sleeping? And what are the health benefits? What are the types of tears?
The health benefits of crying
Leo Neuhaus wrote in the Harvard Health website, that the medical benefits of crying have been known for a long time, and thinkers and doctors in ancient Greece and Rome assumed that tears act as a laxative, draining and purifying us. Psychological thought today largely agrees, emphasizing the role of crying as a mechanism that allows us to get rid of stress and emotional pain.
Crying is an important safety valve, in large part because holding difficult emotions inside – what psychologists call oppressive coping – can be harmful to our health.
Studies have linked suppressive adaptation to cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, as well as with mental health conditions, including stress, anxiety and depression. Crying has also been shown to increase attachment behavior and encourage closeness, empathy, and support from friends and family.
types of tears
Scientists divide tears into 3 distinct categories:
- reflex tears
- continuous tears
- emotional tears
The first two categories perform an important function of removing dirt such as smoke and dust from our eyes, and moisturizing them to help protect them from infection. Its content is 98% water.
The third category, emotional tears, flush out stress hormones and other toxins from our system, which are likely to provide the most health benefits. Researchers have proven that crying releases relaxing chemicals like oxytocin and endorphins, which help relieve physical and emotional pain.
When are tears a problem?
There are times when crying can be a sign of a problem, especially if it happens frequently and/or for no apparent reason, or when crying starts to interfere with daily activities or becomes out of control. If the crying becomes severe or uncontrollable, see a doctor or mental health professional for evaluation and treatment.
What happens to the body when it cries?
We cry when we are happy, sad, angry or even frustrated, which in turn affects our entire body and mind. In her article, published by the American “TheHealthy” website, writer Tina Donvito said that watching movies or experiencing stressful life events at home or work, and receiving even good news, may make your tears fall, but you probably do not realize that crying can affect different ways on your body.
Crying relieves stress
The writer shows that humans are the only type of creature whose feelings cause him to cry, but scientists still do not know how the act of physical crying relates to our feelings, and why do we cry when we feel sad or even happy and elated? She points out the possibility that crying helps relieve the physical tension caused by feelings of distress.
Crying improves mood
And the writer points out that some believe that crying makes them feel better after their stress decreases, as Jonathan Rottenberg, a professor of psychology at the University of South Florida, says, “Polls revealed that about two-thirds of people in general feel better after crying.”
“It is possible that people exaggerate about these benefits of crying or misunderstand exactly what happens to them, because when we conducted an experiment with crying in controlled laboratory conditions, we found that crying makes people feel less better than we generally think,” Rottenberg adds.
The writer returns to stress the way others interact with our crying and that it is one of the most important factors in determining how we feel afterward, according to the author of “Why Do People Only Cry?” Expert Ed Wengerhuts, Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Tilburg University in the Netherlands, said, “If you find understanding for your feelings, you are more likely to feel better than if they make fun of you and feel embarrassed.” He added, “In many cases, the mood improves after crying as a result of receiving emotional support and feeling comfortable.” “.
Crying improves communication
The author states that it is not surprising that crying in humans first evolved as a way for an infant to attract its mother’s attention, according to Dr. Fingerhuts, “Infants are the most vulnerable creatures and cannot cling to fur like other primates, or follow their mothers like ducks,” and adds, “Adult tears reveal, especially when crying. out loud, they need help. So crying in particular is a reaction to a state of helplessness.”
Tears improve the health of your eyes
The writer explains that tears work to moisturize the eyes and keep them healthy, and in this regard, Dr. Belsma explains, “The biological function of tears is to maintain eye hydration or protect it from smoke or dirt that enters the eye,” and continues, “Emotional tears seem to have evolved from this process.” Basically biological to something more complex in humans that can happen for purely emotional reasons and not for physical reasons.”
Crying has great physical effects
The writer stresses that crying is not just an emotional act, but a physical act; Weeping, headache, runny nose and body shakiness are among the few effects that crying can have on your body. According to Dr. Rothenberg, “It is related to the high arousal state of the fight-and-flight response, and although crying can be the bridge to relief in the short term, there are Clear evidence that his action is very exciting,” he continued, “Those who cry show a high heart rate and increased sweating. In other words, crying is an exercise for the body.”
Crying during happy events helps the body relax
Similar to negative emotions, the increased level of excitement due to positive emotions can lead to tears. In this regard, Dr. Belsma says, “Crying from negative emotions such as sadness, frustration and anger is more common, but it occurs during intense positive emotions, such as happiness, admiration and awe,” adding, “Crying appears to be associated with intense physiological arousal that can be linked to both positive and negative emotions, and it occurs directly after the climax of the emotional experience.”
Why do I cry while sleeping?
In a report published by the Spanish magazine Lamenteesmaravillosa, writer Christian Muñoz Escobar says that the world of dreams is full of waking experiences and the problems we encounter in life, and are often also the product of the experiences we live. Besides, dreams have their own logic, although they are usually absurd and incomprehensible, and their interpretation must be adjusted to the mind of the person dreaming. Therefore, these manifestations often have effects on mood during sleep.
The writer explains that most of the time we talk and make sudden movements, go into a state of sleepwalking, want to scream, etc., when we are in the world of dreams. When sleeping, the brain does not lose its activity, because it must absorb the incoming information, which will be transmitted to be stored in the brain’s nerve circuits, which will be converted into chemicals.
6 reasons why you may cry in your sleep
Colds
Sometimes, crying during sleep may be associated with colds, because they are usually accompanied by physical diseases and other symptoms, including watery eyes, which appear especially when the patient sleeps, and these symptoms are temporary and do not leave any psychological or physical impact.
Comforts
The eyes also benefit from restful sleep. During the day our eyes can dry out, so it is not surprising that at night we shed tears involuntarily, as a reflexive measure, to clean and restore moisture.
When there are psychological wounds
Getting ready for bed is crucial to a night’s rest. However, if a person is going through unbearable circumstances, his dreams will be full of intense sadness, and his response will be to cry to ease the suffering a little, as sleeping with pain and emotional fragility can cause tears of comfort, so it is very likely that the person who suffers will wake up in the middle of the night, because Crying is a haven to escape discomfort and anguish.
nightmares
Crying during sleep may be linked to nightmares, as it affects mood regulation during rest, making us feel anxious and anxious. Of course, when we wake up, we often calm down immediately.
In addition, there are cases when nightmares are so severe that they cause tears due to unpleasant dreams. It is usual for a person to dream – in a nightmare – that he is crying over something that caused him excessive fear or anxiety and wakes up with tears in his eyes.
memories
Sometimes dreams revive some of our sad memories. For example, if our waking memory tends to preserve the memory of a loved one who no longer exists, it is very likely that he will appear to us in dreams, a situation that can only cause us to cry.
conscious dreams
This dream phenomenon is realized when a person realizes that he is dreaming, while the protagonist is in his dream world.
It is possible for a conscious dreamer to decide to explore situations from which he or she is withdrawn into the depths of the subconscious. This can lead to a very strong emotional reaction that produces crying.
Crying is a phenomenon unique to humans, and it is a natural response to a range of emotions, from deep sadness and sadness to excessive happiness and joy. But is crying good for your health? How does it affect the body? Why do I cry while sleeping? And what are the health benefits? What are the types of tears?
The health benefits of crying
Leo Neuhaus wrote in the Harvard Health website, that the medical benefits of crying have been known for a long time, and thinkers and doctors in ancient Greece and Rome assumed that tears act as a laxative, draining and purifying us. Psychological thought today largely agrees, emphasizing the role of crying as a mechanism that allows us to get rid of stress and emotional pain.
Crying is an important safety valve, in large part because holding difficult emotions inside – what psychologists call oppressive coping – can be harmful to our health.
Studies have linked suppressive adaptation to cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, as well as with mental health conditions, including stress, anxiety and depression. Crying has also been shown to increase attachment behavior and encourage closeness, empathy, and support from friends and family.
types of tears
Scientists divide tears into 3 distinct categories:
- reflex tears
- continuous tears
- emotional tears
The first two categories perform an important function of removing dirt such as smoke and dust from our eyes, and moisturizing them to help protect them from infection. Its content is 98% water.
The third category, emotional tears, flush out stress hormones and other toxins from our system, which are likely to provide the most health benefits. Researchers have proven that crying releases relaxing chemicals like oxytocin and endorphins, which help relieve physical and emotional pain.
When are tears a problem?
There are times when crying can be a sign of a problem, especially if it happens frequently and/or for no apparent reason, or when crying starts to interfere with daily activities or becomes out of control. If the crying becomes severe or uncontrollable, see a doctor or mental health professional for evaluation and treatment.
What happens to the body when it cries?
We cry when we are happy, sad, angry or even frustrated, which in turn affects our entire body and mind. In her article, published by the American “TheHealthy” website, writer Tina Donvito said that watching movies or experiencing stressful life events at home or work, and receiving even good news, may make your tears fall, but you probably do not realize that crying can affect different ways on your body.
Crying relieves stress
The writer shows that humans are the only type of creature whose feelings cause him to cry, but scientists still do not know how the act of physical crying relates to our feelings, and why do we cry when we feel sad or even happy and elated? She points out the possibility that crying helps relieve the physical tension caused by feelings of distress.
Crying improves mood
And the writer points out that some believe that crying makes them feel better after their stress decreases, as Jonathan Rottenberg, a professor of psychology at the University of South Florida, says, “Polls revealed that about two-thirds of people in general feel better after crying.”
“It is possible that people exaggerate about these benefits of crying or misunderstand exactly what happens to them, because when we conducted an experiment with crying in controlled laboratory conditions, we found that crying makes people feel less better than we generally think,” Rottenberg adds.
The writer returns to stress the way others interact with our crying and that it is one of the most important factors in determining how we feel afterward, according to the author of “Why Do People Only Cry?” Expert Ed Wengerhuts, Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Tilburg University in the Netherlands, said, “If you find understanding for your feelings, you are more likely to feel better than if they make fun of you and feel embarrassed.” He added, “In many cases, the mood improves after crying as a result of receiving emotional support and feeling comfortable.” “.
Crying improves communication
The author states that it is not surprising that crying in humans first evolved as a way for an infant to attract its mother’s attention, according to Dr. Fingerhuts, “Infants are the most vulnerable creatures and cannot cling to fur like other primates, or follow their mothers like ducks,” and adds, “Adult tears reveal, especially when crying. out loud, they need help. So crying in particular is a reaction to a state of helplessness.”
Tears improve the health of your eyes
The writer explains that tears work to moisturize the eyes and keep them healthy, and in this regard, Dr. Belsma explains, “The biological function of tears is to maintain eye hydration or protect it from smoke or dirt that enters the eye,” and continues, “Emotional tears seem to have evolved from this process.” Basically biological to something more complex in humans that can happen for purely emotional reasons and not for physical reasons.”
Crying has great physical effects
The writer stresses that crying is not just an emotional act, but a physical act; Weeping, headache, runny nose and body shakiness are among the few effects that crying can have on your body. According to Dr. Rothenberg, “It is related to the high arousal state of the fight-and-flight response, and although crying can be the bridge to relief in the short term, there are Clear evidence that his action is very exciting,” he continued, “Those who cry show a high heart rate and increased sweating. In other words, crying is an exercise for the body.”
Crying during happy events helps the body relax
Similar to negative emotions, the increased level of excitement due to positive emotions can lead to tears. In this regard, Dr. Belsma says, “Crying from negative emotions such as sadness, frustration and anger is more common, but it occurs during intense positive emotions, such as happiness, admiration and awe,” adding, “Crying appears to be associated with intense physiological arousal that can be linked to both positive and negative emotions, and it occurs directly after the climax of the emotional experience.”
Why do I cry while sleeping?
In a report published by the Spanish magazine Lamenteesmaravillosa, writer Christian Muñoz Escobar says that the world of dreams is full of waking experiences and the problems we encounter in life, and are often also the product of the experiences we live. Besides, dreams have their own logic, although they are usually absurd and incomprehensible, and their interpretation must be adjusted to the mind of the person dreaming. Therefore, these manifestations often have effects on mood during sleep.
The writer explains that most of the time we talk and make sudden movements, go into a state of sleepwalking, want to scream, etc., when we are in the world of dreams. When sleeping, the brain does not lose its activity, because it must absorb the incoming information, which will be transmitted to be stored in the brain’s nerve circuits, which will be converted into chemicals.
6 reasons why you may cry in your sleep
Colds
Sometimes, crying during sleep may be associated with colds, because they are usually accompanied by physical diseases and other symptoms, including watery eyes, which appear especially when the patient sleeps, and these symptoms are temporary and do not leave any psychological or physical impact.
Comforts
The eyes also benefit from restful sleep. During the day our eyes can dry out, so it is not surprising that at night we shed tears involuntarily, as a reflexive measure, to clean and restore moisture.
When there are psychological wounds
Getting ready for bed is crucial to a night’s rest. However, if a person is going through unbearable circumstances, his dreams will be full of intense sadness, and his response will be to cry to ease the suffering a little, as sleeping with pain and emotional fragility can cause tears of comfort, so it is very likely that the person who suffers will wake up in the middle of the night, because Crying is a haven to escape discomfort and anguish.
nightmares
Crying during sleep may be linked to nightmares, as it affects mood regulation during rest, making us feel anxious and anxious. Of course, when we wake up, we often calm down immediately.
In addition, there are cases when nightmares are so severe that they cause tears due to unpleasant dreams. It is usual for a person to dream – in a nightmare – that he is crying over something that caused him excessive fear or anxiety and wakes up with tears in his eyes.
memories
Sometimes dreams revive some of our sad memories. For example, if our waking memory tends to preserve the memory of a loved one who no longer exists, it is very likely that he will appear to us in dreams, a situation that can only cause us to cry.
conscious dreams
This dream phenomenon is realized when a person realizes that he is dreaming, while the protagonist is in his dream world.
It is possible for a conscious dreamer to decide to explore situations from which he or she is withdrawn into the depths of the subconscious. This can lead to a very strong emotional reaction that produces crying.