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Cry your way to calm mind and healthy body

Latest research suggests that tears are not only a stress-buster; they also soothe the mind, and heal the body. But while almost all of us shed emotional tears at some time – at least 47 times a year for women, and seven for men – exactly why we cry, and much about what happens when we do, remains a mystery.

A clue to the purpose of crying may lie in the experimental finding that emotional tears contain different compounds from regular eye watering, such as that triggered by chopping onions.

In fact, emotional tears come from the same tear glands that produce the fluid that forms a protective film over the eyeballs to keep them free of irritants, and which also releases extra fluid when the eye becomes irritated, or is invaded by a foreign body.

Tears associated with emotion are not mere eye watering – they have higher levels of some proteins, and of manganese and potassium, and hormones, including prolactin.

Manganese is an essential nutrient, and inadequate quantities of it can lead to slowed blood clotting, skin problems, and lowered cholesterol levels. Potassium is involved in nerve working, muscle control and blood pressure. Prolactin is a hormone involved in stress and plays a role in the immune system and other body functions.

Even though crying is not a blockbuster drug, but the latest research suggests it’s highly effective at healing, and that it improves the mood of 88.8 per cent of weepers, with only 8.4 per cent feeling worse!