Tears offer healing therapy and generally improve health. So, as uncomfortable as it may feel, it is not advisable to hold back tears, because it can lead to repressed emotions, which can affect your ability to think clearly. Most people are programmed from childhood not to cry because tears often make others feel helpless and uncomfortable. Nevertheless, a good cry helps most times. Here are six Amazing ways Crying may benefit your health, according to healthline.com
1) Tears remove toxins
Tears help rid the body of chemicals caused by stress and grief.
Based on a research carried out at St Paul Ramsey Medical Center in Minnesota, by Researcher William Frey, he found out that emotional tears contained more anti-toxin than tears of irritation caused by onion peeling. William Frey and his co-researchers carried out their research on tears shed by some volunteers who were led to cry from watching sad movies and the ones caused by peeling onions. They found out that emotional tears contained more toxic biological product than the other. Crying, they concluded is an excretory process which removes toxins that build up during emotional stress.
2) Tears kill bacteria
Tears have antibacterial and antiviral properties. They contain lysozyme, an antimicrobial enzyme that protects us from the ever-present danger of bacterial infection.
This small enzyme can kill about 90 percent of all the germs we pick up in the community computer or public sinks, in just 10 minutes.
3) Tears enable us to see
Crying helps us see. They lubricate our eyeballs, eyelids, and at the same time prevent dehydration of our mucous membrane. It helps to prevent the blocking out of our eyesight.
4) Crying lowers stress
Tears are one of the natural therapies for stress. According to Jerry Bergman in his intriguing article “The Miracle of Tears,” weeping removes chemicals built up in the body from stress. In fact, people who cry have fewer stress-related diseases, such as ulcer and colitis than people who don’t. In addition, crying can relieve symptoms of asthma and hives.
Also, it lowers blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature. Suppressing them may increase stress level.
5) Crying elevates mood
Tears offer healing therapy. They help to reduce stress, improve mood, relieve negative feelings, and recharge the spirit. Crying lowers manganese level, which is believed to cause anxiety, aggression, and emotional disturbance. Repressed tears can lead to repressed emotions. Therefore, it is advisable not to repress tears for the sake of your general health, especially your emotional health.
6) Crying increases compassion
Crying increases compassion and general health. So, as uncomfortable as it may feel, it is not always healthy to hold back tears or repress your emotions. By attempting to hide your emotions from others, you may end up not knowing how you really feel. This limits your ability to empathize and be compassionate to others.
