Seeing Through Tears by Judith Kay Nelson

Releasing feel-good neurotransmittersĬrying also triggers your body to release oxytocin, which can help with physical pain relief and make you feel safe. So similarly to the immune system encouraging depression, being sad or angry triggers tears that can help keep the immune system safe. Our bodies think we’re in danger of infection when we’re upset enough to cry. When you cry, your tears can kill bacteria lingering in your tear ducts or on your face. They even have antibacterial properties, with a chemical component dedicated to dissolving bacteria and other unwanted debris in the eye. They create a natural exit path for stress hormones like cortisol – rebalancing blood levels of stress hormones helps your body calm down and stay out of fight or flight mode. Our bodies produces all kinds of tears, but the ones that come from true stress or emotion are chemically unique. Some have called tears “raindrops from your eyes, washing all the mad out of you.” It turns out, that might get it right! Tears clear stress hormones Crying is a chemical ‘reset’Įmotional tears have special properties that reset our stress hormones, kill bacteria, boost feel-good neurotransmitters, and literally open our eyes in a new perspective. The health and happiness benefits might convince you to welcome some weeping. While the time and place matter, there are reasons to let the waterworks flow.

It’s not always convenient, and sometimes it makes us too vulnerable for the current situation. When we bottle up our emotions, we miss the benefits of crying. These societal norms have consequences that rob us of our built-in tool against depression.

As adults, we either try not to cry, or wonder: “Why do I keep crying all the time?” As if crying is a bad thing.

Parents often tell kids not to cry – a stiff upper lip is a sign of growing up. Who hasn’t been told to stop being a baby or to ‘man up’ for letting out their emotions? Crying can mean getting it together, not falling part Crying helps us reset our mood and our health, so we suggest embracing it as part of the healing process.

While crying is often a symptom of depression, it can also be the way out of your hardest times.

Seeing Through Tears by Judith Kay Nelson