Tears of joy, tears of sadness—any way they roll, having a good cry can be a healthy way to rid our bodies of stress and toxins. Here’s why.
Under the microscope
Tears consist of a complex mix of antibacterial and antiviral proteins, hormones, fats, salt and water. They’re produced by different glands that sit above and behind the eyeball and secrete the elements necessary to keep the eyes moist and protected. Lysozyme, a protein found in tears and saliva, breaks down bacterial walls to ward against infection. Other glands make fatty substances that prevent dry eyes by helping tears spread across the eyeballs and reducing tear evaporation.
Crying isn’t just for babies
When our emotions gear up for a good cry, it might be smart to give in. “Crying stimulates the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, the part that is important for relaxation and recovery,” says Ad Vingerhoets, author of <Why Only Humans Weep: Unraveling the Mysteries of Tears> (Oxford University Press, 2013). “It generally results in a decreased, more relaxed heart rate. Some studies suggest crying may also have a positive effect on allergic skin reactions.”
Researchers have hypothesized crying might even stimulate the release of a substance that has antistress, anti-anxiety and painkilling power.
So why do some of us cry more than others if it’s so good for everyone?
Threshold differences
People’s crying thresholds may be lower when they are tired or sleep deprived, or higher if they are going through a traumatic experience. There are also innate differences in the tendency to cry. A touching television commercial may bring one person to tears while another may not be affected.
Biological differences
On average, women cry four times as often as men. The tear glands of men and women are anatomically different, allowing women to cry more easily. Men are reported to have larger tear ducts that enable them to get a handle on their emotions before tears escape.
Women also have 60 percent more prolactin, the hormone responsible for the production of breast milk and lactation. This could be the reason why women tear up more often than men, who have higher levels of testosterone, a hormone that may inhibit crying.
Social differences
Biology isn’t the only factor at play when it comes to our capacity to cry. In fact, boys and girls cry with approximately the same frequency up to age 12. It’s what they learn between the ages of 12 and 18 that affects their willingness to cry when they’re older: the damaging but pervasive idea that men shouldn’t cry.
“Young men start making the connection that if they separate themselves emotionally from their feelings, they most likely won’t cry,” says William H. Frey II, founder and co-director of a hospital research center. “The problem is that knowing how you feel and being able to express that is really important to maintaining good relationships with others. People need to be able to communicate their feelings, and there’s a consequence to men separating themselves from their emotions.”
