- Crying activates the parasympathetic nervous system to reduce stress hormones like cortisol
- Tears help release built-up tension in the chest, throat, and head, easing internal pressure
- Crying signals safety to the nervous system, allowing the body to shift from alertness to calm
Have you ever closed the doors of your room and cried for no reason? First of all, it is normal, and second, it can actually benefit your health. Studies have shown that a good cry can reduce your stress and make you feel better.
In a recent video, Poornima Peri, a celebrity hormone coach, shared that when you cry for no reason, it is actually your body's intelligent response. "Tears aren't weakness, they are regulatory," she wrote in the caption.
How Tears Reduce Stress
Explaining how crying can reduce stress, the hormone coach wrote that crying activates the parasympathetic nervous system. In layman's terms, when the levels of cortisol are high in your body, it looks for a release. In such a case, crying can pull you out of the fight-or-flight state.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, you are probably carrying high levels of cortisol. If you cry in this case, your tears will flush out the stress, making you feel better. According to a report published by the Cleveland Clinic, a good cry can feel like a heavy weight has been lifted off your chest. It prevents the build-up of negative energy that can be detrimental to physical and mental health.
Crying Signals Safety
When you are stressed, and you release your bottled-up emotions by crying, it signals safety to the nervous system. Instead of staying alert, your body feels safe because people often shed tears in a personal space.
Whether you are in the company of your partner, friends, or loved ones, if you feel safe enough to cry, your body will feel better. According to Poornima Peri, tears help to reduce internal pressure. How? Unexpressed emotions can build tension in the chest, throat, and head. When you cry, this pressure is released, making you feel lighter.
The Cleveland Clinic report also mentioned that if you are in a lot of pain and feeling frustrated, you might feel like crying. Once you shed the tears, things might seem a little clearer, and you might be able to deal with those emotions with some clarity.
Suppression Of Emotions Equals High Cortisol
The hormone coach explained that holding emotions increases the levels of stress hormones in the body. "If you've been crying more lately, your body isn't breaking down, it's trying to come back to balance," she wrote in the caption.
To manage stress and prevent tears from spilling in an unsafe environment, you can try breathing techniques, which help calm the nervous system.
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