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Crying is the natural response humans have to many different emotions. Yet many of us try to hold back our tears believing that it’s a sign of weakness. Turns out, there are a lot of benefits to letting it all out.
LET IT ALL OUT:
HEALTH BENEFITS OF CRYING
BY VICTOR M PARACHIN
J
esus wept.” - John 11:35
When people experience frustration, loss, sadness or stress, some immediately put up emotional barriers and force themselves to be strong. Others, however, give themselves permission to shed tears and cry away. Many of us try to hold back the tears, but the reality is that letting them out can be good for us. It can take away some of the pain, help us process emotions and make us feel better. Here are 10 reasons why letting it all out could actually be good for us:
1.That’s something noted by social
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CRYING IS AN IMPORTANT SAFETY VALVE
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worker Leo Newhouse, who wrote in the Harvard health blog: “Crying is an important safety valve, largely because keeping difficult feelings inside—what psychologists call repressive coping—can be bad for our health. Studies have linked repressive coping with a less resilient immune system, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and mental health conditions, including stress, anxiety
and depression. Crying has also been shown to increase attachment behaviour, encouraging closeness, empathy, and support from friends and family.”
2. Many people express feeling better after a good cry. This is spoken CRYING IMPROVES MOOD
of in the Bible: “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy” (Psalm 126:5, NIV). There is science which supports this human experience. Scientists categorise three different types of liquid in tears. The first two are called “reflex tears” and “continuous tears”. They aim to remove irritants such as smoke and dust from the eyes and lubricate them to prevent infection. Their content is 98 per cent water. The third category is “emotional tears”. They flush toxins out of the body and release endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals that ease physical and emotional pain.
3. When we are seen weeping, it rallies support from the people CRYING ELICITS SUPPORT
around us. This is known as an in-
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