When we cry, various emotions can be the trigger: In addition to grief, anger, fear and pain as well as joy are also possible. Sometimes, however, we cry seemingly for no reason. If this happens more often, medication or depression may be the cause. Regardless of the cause, headaches and swollen eyes often occur after prolonged crying. We inform you all around the topic “crying” and reveal what helps against such complaints.
Crying as a sign of grief
Viewed quite soberly, crying is an emotional expression that is usually – though not always – accompanied by tears. Crying is often a sign of grief, but it can also be linked to other emotions. These include, for example, anger, fear and pain, but also joy. Why we humans cry in certain situations is still controversial. In general, there are two different theses on this question:
- Crying as a form of social behavior, that is, communication and social interaction.
- Crying as a protective reaction of our body and psyche, through which the emotions felt can be better processed.
Crying as a reflex
To be distinguished from emotional crying are tears that roll when something has hit us in the eye. Their function is clearly understood: they help to remove the foreign body from the eye and protect the eye from drying.
What are tears made of?
Crying is associated with lacrimation in most people. Tears are a salty bodily fluid produced by the lacrimal glands. Depending on the occasion, the chemical composition of tears may differ: For example, “emotional” tears contain significantly more hormones such as prolactin than tears produced to moisten the eyeball. Similarly, in emotional crying, the concentration of potassium and manganese in tears is increased.
Crying: headache as a consequence
Those who have cried for a longer period of time often have to deal with headaches afterwards. Exactly why the headaches occur has not yet been definitively clarified. Presumably, they arise from the tension and the effort of the body. Therefore, if possible, try to relax a little after crying – for example, take a walk. In an emergency, a headache tablet can also help.
Puffy eyes after crying – this helps!
Another consequence of heavy crying is often swollen eyes – you look “howled”. We have compiled three tips for you, what helps against puffy eyes:
- Cool your eyes with two tablespoons. Put the spoons in the freezer for a few minutes beforehand and then place them on your eyelids. Make sure that the spoons are not too cold.
- Instead of a spoon, you can also use an eye mask filled with gel for cooling. Store the mask with you in the refrigerator – so you always have it on hand in case of emergency.
- In addition to cooling, black tea also helps well against eyes puffy due to crying. Simply dip a tea bag for 30 seconds in lukewarm water, squeeze it out and put it on your eyes.
Crying without reason
If you have to cry more often for no reason, it can have several causes. Often this affects highly stressed people who are at the end of their tether. With them, the tears flow quickly once, without there being a specific reason. In order to do something against the overload, you should make a list with 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 regularly take certain medications, you should take a look at the package insert to see if 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 for no reason, this may also be a sign of depression. In such a case, you should definitely consult a doctor and discuss how to proceed. Our self-test can also help you to find out whether you may be suffering from depression. Click here to go to the depression test.
Crying in your 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 at all uncommon to cry in your sleep. This is because pent-up or suppressed emotions are often released during sleep. Waking up the next morning with tears in your eyes, or waking up to your own sobs, is a bit frightening, but not dangerous. If you find yourself crying more frequently in your sleep, you should try to clarify the triggering event and thereby reduce the distress. After all, as long as you have not come to terms with the event, you may find yourself crying in your sleep again and again. In addition to a stressful event in the past, crying in your sleep can also be caused by future stress. Think about why you are afraid of the event and ask yourself if it is actually justified.
Crying: Helpful or not?
Whether crying has a positive effect on our mental health always depends on the individual case. Generally speaking, “soothing” crying helps us cope better with goodbyes. It is a normal part of mourning and should therefore not be suppressed. However, crying does not always lead to an improvement in the state of mind. Especially desperate, fainting sobs 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 as well as the support provided by people present. For example, crying is more likely to be seen as positive if the affected person was not alone during the process. When comforting, care should be taken to initially just be there for the other person and listen without directly pushing for a change in the situation.
Differences between men and women
On average, men cry significantly less often than women. According to a study by the Ophthalmological Society, men shed tears an average of 17 times per year, compared with 64 times for women. The reasons for which men and women cry are also different: for example, women often cry during losses and in conflict situations. Men, on the other hand, are more likely to cry during breakups or out of empathy.
