Everyone has shed a tear at some point in their life. As a baby, of course, but also later in life. For example, when seeing a sad movie or at a funeral of a loved one. But what’s the point of crying anyway?
A tear
An eye must be kept permanently moist and clean. The fluid that ensures this is tear fluid. Every time we blink, some tear fluid is secreted from the tear glands, which ensures that the eye remains moist, that dust particles that have passed the eyelashes are expelled and that bacteria are neutralized. Normally 1 microliter of tears are produced per minute, which is just enough to keep the eyeball moist. If too much fluid is produced, it is drained through the tear ducts on the lower eyelid and ends up in the tear sac via tear ducts. From there it continues to the nasal mucosa.
A tear is not only made of water. If that were the case, tear fluid would not be able to neutralize bacteria. Tear fluid consists of lysozyme, a protein that breaks down the cell walls of bacteria so that they become vulnerable. The fluid consists of various proteins and mucus-containing components. It also contains the substances sodium, potassium, immunoglobulins, glucose, calcium and magnesium.
To cry
The production of tear fluid is influenced by the nervous system. Certain stimuli can cause the tear gland to produce excessive tear fluid. These stimuli can be of different nature:
- dryness of conjunctiva or cornea
- mechanical stimuli, such as a grain of sand or a fly in the eye
- chemical stimuli, such as onions, tear gas or pepper spray
- allergic stimuli, such as hay fever
- psychological stimuli, such as crying
In general, crying is caused by emotional stress, suffering and physical pain. But not only negative emotions can cause a person to cry. Many people cry when they are extremely happy. Tears caused by emotions have a different chemical composition than tears caused by other stimuli. Emotional tears contain more hormones with proteins such as prolactin, corticotropin and leucine. These have a natural analgesic effect. When someone cries, this may be accompanied by redness in the face, sniffling, and uncontrolled breathing that may cause the upper body to jerk.
Why do we cry?
Although most animals can produce tears to keep their eyes moist, crying is a purely human thing. Very little scientific research has been done into the benefits of crying. Based on the research done so far, we know that tear volume is too small to contribute to the removal of waste products. Another theory was that crying is a kind of return to an earlier stage of life development, in this case the embryonic stage. This is also incorrect.
Then there is another explanation that believes that crying is a relief. Health psychologist Michelle Hendriks conducted research into the influence of crying on the physical and mental condition of a person, and the reactions of people in the environment. She had sixty female students watch two films, one neutral and the other emotional. Hendriks examined the students’ mood and measured their pain perceptions before, between and after the films. While watching the films, seven physical parameters, including heart rate, blood pressure and breathing, were monitored. It turned out that crying during the movie did not improve the mood. Crying in relief is not an option. However, Hendriks did find evidence that the physical reactions associated with crying, such as an increase in heart rate, for example, promote the physiological balance of the body. In addition, crying seems to be a kind of means of communication with others. By crying, a person makes it clear that he or she feels helpless, cannot handle something and feels overwhelmed. It can also be a way to show vulnerability during a conflict. Crying can also be an expression of solidarity to show that you sympathize.
Why do women cry more than men?
According to scientific research, women cry more than men. Adult women cry 25 to 50 times a year, men only 5 to 20 times. There is no such difference in babies, but crying behavior changes in girls and boys after the age of 12. Emotion psychologist Nico Frijda thought this is because the power originally lies with the man, so the woman uses crying as a means to get the man to agree. In other words, men have no reason to cry at all. That it has to do with power is not entirely true, because women in top positions still cry more.
Then there is another theory that women cry more because they find themselves in emotional situations more often than men, for example at work. Men are also said to avoid emotional situations more, while women are very focused on comforting others and therefore experience emotional things.
Of course, crying also has something to do with tough behavior. A boy who grows up in an environment where crying equates to weakness will cry less often than a boy who grows up in an environment where crying is accepted. The emotions still come out in the form of swearing and hitting. Men generally hate crying and are ashamed of it. Unlike women, they are not convinced by the idea that crying is a good way to release tension and that you feel better after crying. When a man is confronted with the same emotional situation as a woman, he is affected, but that is about it.
Then there is a physical potential for the woman’s crying behavior. According to researchers, women cry more quickly due to the female sex hormone prolactin. This hormone influences the flow of tears.