Mind
5 facts about crying
The idea of babies and children crying makes perfect sense. They often have no other way to communicate their upset or displeasure. But the idea of adults crying? That’s more of a mystery. For hundreds of years researchers have been puzzled as to why adults, fully capable of using our words, still shed tears. But there are a few things that we do know about crying.
1. Happy tears, sad tears and tears of irritation look different
There are three types of tears; basal tears, which keep the eye protected and lubricated; the type made in reaction to an irritant; and emotional tears caused by sad or hilarious events.
2. Women cry more than men
Women average two to four crying episodes a month while men often only cry every other month. Women also cry for longer than men.
3. Women have smaller tear ducts than men
Women under the age of 50 have smaller tear ducts than men meaning that if both men and women tear up, those tears are likely to spill over in women while remaining contained in men.
4. Tears bond us together
The latest theory for why adults cry is all about the impact it has on human connection. The thinking goes that tears help us recognize when our fellow humans need affection and attention, fostering bonding and feelings of friendship.
5. Your nose runs when your cry because it’s connected to the tears
Tears secreted from the lacrimal glands drain near the nose. When the drainage system is insufficient then tears overflow.
Related links:
4 ways you accidentally make yourself miserable
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