Originally Published: May 30, 2016
Written by: Malvika Agarwal
When
was the last you cried? Maybe it was while you were watching a sad
movie or when a loved one was leaving you or because you just felt
lonely. The next thing you know, you have a lump in your throat, your
eyes start to water and tears are running down your cheeks. Considering
that crying is an important and common part of everyone's lives, many of
us know surprisingly little about it.
What happens when we cry,
exactly? While the lacrimal gland produces a watery component, the
glands in our eyelids produce an oily component, and other cells produce
mucus. These mix together on the upper, outer region of your eye to
create a film, which covers the white of the eye and the cornea. When we
blink, the film is wiped across the eye by the eyelids. This fluid,
better known as tears, drains into the tiny openings in the eyelids,
called puncta (one on the inside corner of each lid), and then through
ducts to the nasal cavity, where they either become part of nasal fluid
or are swallowed. This is why we also get "stuffy" when we cry. If
insufficient tears are produced or the constituents are out of balance,
it can result in sore, dry eyes.
Over the years, many scientists
have researched on how humans cry. Ad Vingerhoets, a professor of
psychology at Tilburg University, discovered that there are 3 types of
tears. The first type is basal tears, and they lubricate and protect the
eyes at all times from damage by incoming air currents and floating
debris.
Often, people tend to cry when they are cutting onions.
These types of tears are called reflex tears, which are produced when
the eyes make contact with wind, sand, insects or rocks. Reflex tears
protect the eyes from irritants such as wind, smoke, and chemicals. They
also help flush out random specks of dirt or any object that gets into
the eye.
The last types of tears are emotional tears, which are
secreted in moments of intense feeling - sometimes joy, but more often
sorrow. These tears ears are produced in such large quantity that they
overflow and fall down our cheeks. This type of crying occurs in
response to stress, frustration, sadness, and happiness, and any other
motion that evokes tears.
It has been statistically proven crying
is beneficial for the health of individuals. Studies show that holding
your emotions in can be dangerous over the long-term. In fact, some
research indicates that stifling emotional tears can cause elevated risk
of heart disease and hypertension. Other studies have shown that people
suffering from such conditions as colitis or ulcers tend to have a less
positive attitude about crying than their healthier counterparts.
Psychologists recommend that people suffering from grief express their
emotions through talking and crying, rather than keeping their emotions
in check. Many studies also show that women cry 5.3 times a month, while
men only cry about 1.3 times a month on an average. The reason is that
men produce testosterone, which prevents them to tear up. On the other
hand, women have lots of prolactin (a protein found in the body), which
stimulates tears.
Tears of joy and tears of exhaustion. Tears of a
clown or crocodile tears. Tears caused by chopping onions and death of a
loved one. In the end, a tear is a tear, and they help protect and
preserve the condition of our eyes. Crying might make your eyes red and
puffy, but they won't affect your eyesight. So the next time you have
the temptation to cry, go all out!
References
Duffin. C. Why do we Cry Tears of Joy?. TMG [Online] 2014, 4.3,22-25.
Mikulak, A; Aragon, O; "Tears of Joy" May Help Us Maintain Emotional Balance. PSA. [Online] 2014, 2.1, 30-35.
Oaklander. M. The Science of Crying. TSA [Online] 2016, Version 4.2, 3-10.
Oskar, S. Why do we cry?. CPJ [Online]. 2013, Version 1. 60-69
Popova, M. The Science of Why We Cry and the Three Types of Tears. [Online] 2012,107, 4-5.
http://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/02/cry.aspx
