crying is healthy

Three types of tears

 

Emotional/stress-related tears

A study by Dr William H. Frey II, a biochemist at the St Paul-Ramsey Medical Centre in Minnesota, found that there is an important chemical difference between emotional or stress-related tears and those simply caused by physical irritants – such as when cutting onions.
They found that emotional tears contained more of the protein-based hormones prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and leucine enkephalin (a natural painkiller), all of which are produced by our body when under stress.

Basal tears

We all need the layer of protective fluid covering our eyeballs known as continuous or basal tears.
This fluid is secreted by the lachrymal glands, which sit above each eye, and without it our eyes would be in danger of drying out and become susceptible to bacterial attack.
Basal tears contain lysozyme, a powerful and fast acting antibacterial and anti-viral agent. Without this, the eye – because it's a moist environment – would suffer enormous amounts of bacterial attack and you could potentially go blind.

Eye watering

One of the most important functions crying can have is to protect our eyes from irritants and foreign bodies, such as dust or getting rid of the acidic fumes when cutting onions.
These tears are known as reflex tears. When our eyes come under attack from irritants, the lachrymal glands in our eyes start stimulating more fluid to wash away the irritant and drain it from the eye

Go Ahead, Have a Good Cry – 5 Reasons Why It's Good for You

 

Researchers have proven what many caregivers have already figured out on their own: sometimes there's nothing like a good cry to make you feel better. Crying is cathartic.
Neuroscientist and tear researcher Dr. William H. Frey II, PhD, director of the Alzheimer's Research Center at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota, studies the affects of crying. He's spent over 15 years studying crying and tears.
Research shows:

• 85% of women and 73% of men felt less sad and angry after crying
• On average, women cry 47 times a year, men cry 7 times a year
• Crying bouts last 6 minutes on average
• Tears are more often shed between 7 and 10 p.m.

According to Frey, "crying is not only a human response to sorrow and frustration, it's a healthy one. Crying is a natural way to reduce emotional stress that, left unchecked, has negative physical affects on the body, including increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and other stress-related disorders.
Here are five reasons why crying is good for you:
Crying Relieves Stress
Because unalleviated stress can increase our risk for heart attack and damage certain areas of our brain, the human ability to cry has survival value, Frey says.
Crying Lowers Blood Pressure
Crying has been found to lower blood pressure, pulse rate, and body immediately following therapy sessions during which they cried and raged.

 
Tears Remove Toxins
In addition, he says tears actually remove toxins from the body. Is that they may be removing, in their tears, chemicals that build up during emotional stress."
Crying Reduces "Manganese"
The simple act of crying also reduces the body's manganese level, a mineral which affects mood and is found in up to 30 times greater concentration in tears than in blood serum.
Emotional Crying Means You're Human
While the eyes of all mammals are moistened and soothed by tears, only human beings shed tears in response to emotional stress. Emotional expression acknowledges the feelings you're having. Emotions motivate us to empathize, coordinate and work as a unit to best survive
So next time you feel those tears welling up or that lump in your throat, go ahead, have a good cry.