For many people, it’s not easy being vulnerable and showing emotion- but being open can be a very powerful force that’s therapeutic. Since the COVID-19 Pandemic has overtaken most of our lives over the past few months, it’s normal to be sad and miss the little things that made us happy. And although crying may not seem like the best way to deal with our emotions, in reality, it’s one of the most natural ways to express them. Next time you try and bury your feelings, don’t be afraid to cry it out- it can be a very beneficial tactic during these troubled times!
- Relieves pain: When you cry the body goes through a process that can allow the body to relax and return back to normal. This process releases “feel good” hormones like oxytocin and endorphins that relieve and physical or emotional pain the body holds on to. In other words, having a good cry is a healthy way to cope with any trauma the body goes through.
- Improves vision: Most people don’t realize that crying is an essential part of having healthy eyes and vision. When you start to release tears it acts as a lubricant for the eyeballs and eyelids that can be beneficial in terms of keeping your eyes healthy and hydrated.
- Benefits social health: If you’re comfortable crying around others, it allows those around to come to your aide for support. This support and human interaction can be very beneficial to our social health as it can improve our social health, and strengthen relationships.
- Stress Relief: Similar to how crying relieves pain it also relieves stress in the same way. Tears can detoxify the body as they are composed of the toxins and stress hormones that overload our bodies. With this release of stressful toxins and hormones the body’s stress levels can then start to decrease.
- Enhances mood: It’s normal to have a bad day here and there, and even more normal to cry about, but the good thing about crying is that it can help better your mood. When you cry your body is releasing toxins, and hormones that play a significant role in stress. Releasing these toxins from the body results in lower blood pressure causing your mood to change instantly after a good cry.
- Improves Sleep: Although many studies have focused on infants crying can be a beneficial tactic in improving sleep quality. Because of how helpful crying is for stressors, physical and emotional pain it allows the body to be in a relaxed state that may help with sleep quality.
- Fights bacteria: Similar to how crying detoxifies the body, tears also contain a fluid called lysozyme. This fluid has properties that can help aid and reduce certain viruses, bacteria, and even fungi. In simplest terms, crying can help reduce your chances of certain illnesses.
- Lowers Blood Pressure: One of the many leading causes of heart-related illnesses start with high blood pressure. Having high blood pressure can lead to serious heart and vessel damage along with possibilities of stroke or heart failure. Luckily, a natural way to reduce your blood pressure is to have a good cry and release all your stressors.
- Helps the grieving process: There are many stages and components of life and some of those stages can be emotionally traumatizing, and the only way to get through it is to grieve healthily. The five stages of grief is a process that allows you to cope with your feelings, and sometimes having a good cry can help get you to the last stage of acceptance and healthy recovery.
- Prevent depression: Because of the many negative social norms that are associated with crying, it has prevented many from using this powerful tactic in battling mental health issues like depression. The way a good cry can help battle depression is similar in all the other health advantages. When we cry we release so much negativity from our bodies that we are left with a great sense of relief.
