I’m back again with 1 more project about crying! This project dives DEEP into the science of why we cry, with all sorts of cool facts! I must confess that this topic fascinates me SO much. The topic of why we cry is something that I have put a lot of thought and research into, so here you go! Time for all the cool science facts! All of your tears are made by your lacrimal (tear) glands, which are located just above each upper eyelid and just below each eyebrow. Your lacrimal glands make three types of tears. They are basal, reflex (or reflexive), and emotional tears. Basal tears spread across the surface of your eyes every single time you blink! This is what keeps your eyes moist, and it also helps keep irritants or infection from getting into your eyes. Reflex tears are made when things like dust, smoke, or onion chemicals get into your eyes. They are made to flush out irritants that don’t belong and keep your eyes safe from potential harm. But, in my opinion, emotional tears are the most fascinating type to learn about, and that’s the type I want to talk about today. Emotional tears are made when your brain’s limbic system (the part of your brain responsible for controlling and processing emotions) receives a strong emotional trigger. Usually this is sadness, but it can be joy, anger, fear, or any other strong emotion. Next, the hypothalamus, which is a part of the limbic system, signals the release of stress hormones, such as cortisol and ACTH, due to the strong emotions. The hypothalamus also sends a signal the lacrimal glands to produce tears. This signal causes the lacrimal glands to go into overdrive and produce more tears than usual. In fact, during crying, it is possible for the lacrimal glands to produce more than half a cup (or approximately 118 mL) of tears in just minutes! That is WAY more than the eye can hold, so some of the tears spill out. Now, right before you start crying, the sympathetic nervous system kicks in due to the strong emotional trigger. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for preparing your body for emergency situations. It is often referred to as the “fight or flight” response, and when it’s activated, it often dilates your pupils, increases your heart rate, and increases your breathing rate. But, crying activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is what brings you back to a restful state and decreases your heart rate and breathing rate. This is part of the reason that many people say they feel better after a good cry. Also, while crying, as your body starts to calm down, the hypothalamus triggers the release of endorphins and oxytocin. Endorphins make you feel good and happy, while oxytocin helps with bonding and makes you feel loved. This is another reason why many people feel good after crying. Here’s a few more fun facts I should add: -If you’re wondering why your nose runs when you cry, it’s because, while some tears spill out of your eyes when you cry, others are drained into your nose! In each of your eyes, there’s a very small hole in the corner that leads to your tear ducts. This is where tears are usually drained into the nose and reabsorbed. However, when crying, due to the sheer amount of tears your body is making, some of the tears mix with the mucus in your nose, causing a runny or stuffy nose. -If you wonder why your eyes get red when you cry, this is because crying can cause the blood vessels in your eyes to dilate, leading to a reddish appearance. Also, dryness or allergies can add to the redness. -Emotional tears, unlike the other two types, are sometimes believed to contain stress hormones, however this isn’t known for certain. Additionally, emotional tears do contain leucine enkephalin, which is an endorphin (a hormone that makes you feel good). This could be yet another reason why people often feel better after crying. Also, emotional tears have a higher concentration of lysozyme compared to other types of tears. Lysozyme is an enzyme designed to prevent infections in your eyes. What can I say? The beauty and complexity of an act as seemingly simple as crying points to a Creator. Not just any Creator, but a Creator who knew that we will face many strong emotions, and so he gave us an amazing way for our bodies to let them out and process them. That Creator is God. Take a look at this Bible verse: “You (God) have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” That’s Psalm 56:8! (ESV) (parentheses are mine.) God knows and cares for us so much that he records our tears. All our emotions and struggles matter to him. Take comfort on that today, no matter what you are going through. God is always here, and he will guide you through whatever you are going through. If you want to learn more, do check out this project: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1121186040/ Thanks for reading! I know that was a lot, but I hope you loved it! May God bless you! Sincerely, @GrapePickle22 aka Diana
