Why are we crying

When we cry, various emotions can be the trigger: in addition to sadness, anger, fear, pain, and joy, they come into question. Sometimes, we cry for no apparent reason. If this happens more often, medication or depression can be the cause. Regardless of the cause, headaches and puffy eyes are common after prolonged crying. We will inform you about “crying” and reveal what helps against such complaints.

Crying is a sign of sadness.

On a sober level, crying is an emotional expression that is usually, but not always, accompanied by tears. Crying is often a sign of sadness but can also be linked to other emotions. These include, for example, anger, fear, and pain, as well as joy.

Why we humans cry in certain situations is still a matter of debate. In general, there are two different theses to this question:

• Crying is a form of social behaviour, i.e. communication and social interaction.
• Crying is a protective reaction of our body and psyche, through which the emotions felt can be better processed.

 

crying as a reflex

Distinguishing from emotional crying are tears that roll when something has caught our eye. Their function has been clearly clarified: they help remove the foreign body from the eye and protect it from drying out.

What are tears made of?

Crying is associated with lacrimation in most people. Tears are a salty bodily fluid produced by the tear ducts.

The chemical composition of tears can differ depending on the occasion. For example, “emotional” tears contain significantly more hormones, such as prolactin, than tears produced to moisten the eyeball. Likewise, when we cry emotionally, the concentration of potassium and manganese in the tears is increased.

 

Crying: headache as a result

Anyone who has cried for a long time often struggles with headaches afterwards. Why headaches occur precisely has yet to be finally clarified. The tension and exertion of the body probably cause them.

Therefore, try to relax a little after crying – for example, walk. In an emergency, a headache tablet can also help.

Puffy eyes after crying – that helps!

Another consequence of heavy crying is often swollen eyes – one looks “crying”. We have put together three tips for you on what helps against swollen eyes:

1. Cool your eyes with two tablespoons. Put the spoons in the freezer for a few minutes beforehand, then place them on your eyelids. Make sure that the spoons are warm enough.
2. Instead of a spoon, you can use an eye mask filled with gel for cooling. Keep the mask in your fridge to always have it on hand in an emergency.
3. In addition to cooling, black tea is also suitable for swollen eyes caused by crying. Soak a tea bag in lukewarm water for 30 seconds, squeeze and place it over your eyes.

crying for no reason

There can be several reasons if you find yourself crying more often for no reason. This usually affects people who are stressed and at the end of their strength. With them, tears flow quickly without there being a specific reason. To do something about being overwhelmed, you should list all pending tasks. Then, try to postpone or delegate less important tasks.

In addition to being overwhelmed, crying for no reason can also be caused by medication. If you take certain medications regularly, you should take a look at the package leaflet to see whether side effects such as “depressive moods” are noted there. This is the case with many birth control pills, for example.

If you cry more often without a reason, this can also be a sign of depression. In such a case, you should consult a doctor and discuss how to proceed with him. Our self-test can also help you to find out whether you may be suffering from depression. Here is the depression test.

 

crying in sleep

During sleep, the information and emotions of the past day are processed and rearranged. That’s why in emotionally stressful situations – for example, after a breakup or the death of a loved one – it’s not uncommon for you to cry in your sleep. Because when you sleep, pent-up or suppressed feelings are often released. Waking up the following day with tears in your eyes or waking up from your sobs, while a bit frightening, isn’t particularly dangerous.

If you cry more often in your sleep, you should clarify the triggering event, reducing the distress. Because as long as you haven’t finished with the event, it can happen repeatedly that tears come to your eyes in your sleep. In addition to a stressful event in the past, crying during sleep can also be caused by future stress. Consider why you fear the event and ask yourself whether it is justified.

Crying: helpful or not?

Whether crying positively affects our mental health always depends on the individual case. Generally, a “beneficial” cry helps to cope better with goodbyes. It’s a normal part of grief and shouldn’t be suppressed.

However, crying does not always lead to an improvement in the state of mind. Incredibly desperate, unconscious sobbing can have a rather negative effect on our mental health.

Whether crying is helpful or not also depends on the personality of the person affected and the support of those around them. For example, crying is more likely to be rated positively if the person concerned is not alone. When consoling, one should be careful to initially only be there for the other person and to listen without directly pushing for a change in the situation.

differences between men and women

On average, men cry less often than women. According to a study by the Ophthalmological Society, men shed tears an average of 17 times a year compared to 64 times in women. The reasons why men and women cry are also different: women often cry when they are lost or in conflict situations. Men, on the other hand, tend to cry when they break up or out of empathy.