Crying is a natural response to a range of emotions from sadness and grief to happiness and joy. Crying is also a common reaction to rage when you feel hurt, betrayed, or unjustly treated. But many people try to hold back their tears, especially boys and men, for fear of looking weak and vulnerable in front of others.
Researchers have found that crying has numerous benefits for your body and mind. If you always try to hide your tears, read on to find out the benefits of crying.
- Crying Boosts Your Mood
- Researchers have found that emotional crying releases oxytocin and endorphins. These chemicals help ease physical and emotional pain and can enhance mood.
- Crying Helps Heal Grief
- Grieving is a process. It involves periods of anger, shock or denial, numbness, confusion, sadness, and guilt. It takes time to move through each period and crying is important during these periods. It can help you process and accept the loss of a loved one.
- Crying Relax Your Body
- Researchers have found that crying activates the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), regulating your blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing. These will help you self-soothe and relax your body.
- Crying Balances Emotions
- Crying doesn’t only happen in response to negative feelings, such as sadness, anger, etc. We may also cry in response to happy feelings, such as joy, love, romantic longing, etc. Experts believe that these happy tears may help you process and regulate intense emotions.
- Crying Helps You Get Support
- Crying has emotional benefits and can make interpersonal relationships stronger. Seeing the tears on your face is often enough for someone to understand that you need help.
Final Thoughts
Crying is a natural response to a whole range of emotions and can be beneficial to your health. So, allow yourself to cry if you feel like it. Take the time and find a safe place to cry if you need to.