Photo credit: Fotolia
This little boy is in some sort of pain, don’t you think? Tears are starting to form in the glands under his eyelids and will soon drain through tear ducts that empty into his nose. When the tears and mucus mix, his nose will run and what mother wouldn’t give him a tissue? If you’re thinking a hug is called for, too, you’re probably a woman. Studies show that women give support more often to someone who is crying. Here are some other facts about crying:
* The chemicals that are cried out are ones that have built up during stress.
* Emotional tears contain different compounds than those from regular eye watering. The tears from slicing an onion will be different than those after a lover’s quarrel. Tears when you’re upset contain enkephalin, an endorphin and pain killer.
*When you cry, your body shakes and your temperature rises.
*Your skin becomes more sensitive and your breathing deepens as you start to cry.
*Blinking of eyelids causes your tears to spread.
If you can get someone to laugh when they’re on a crying jag, though, here’s what happens then:
*Laughter promotes increased blood flow
* Stress hormones are reduced and your immune system gets a boost.
*Laughter promotes healing and produces disease-fighting compounds.
Photo credit: Dreamstime
Laughter is infectious and could get you a hug just the same as crying can. It can even get you through a bad work day when you feel like crying.
Multi-musings 