why do we cry when we are sad?

Question

what is the importance of tears?

Answer 1

Wow! Cool question! Well, I remember my teacher told me once that crying is a kind of defensive mechanism that occurs automatically, after some incident. Defensive mechanism as it sounds like...we are supposed to feel better after crying. Just like when we are afraid or shocked, we shout.
So, if you feel like crying, just cry...

Answer 2

Crying is a more complicated process than one would at first imagine. First of all, there are really three different types of tears. Basal tears keep our eyes lubricated constantly. Reflex tears are produced when our eyes get irritated, like with onions or when something gets into our eyes. The third kind of tear is produced when the body reacts emotionally to something. Each type of tear contains different amounts of chemical proteins and hormones. Scientists have discovered that the emotional tears contain higher levels of manganese and the hormone prolactin, and this contributes in a reduction of both of these in the body; thus helping to keep depression away. Many people have found that crying actually calms them after being upset, and this is in part due to the chemicals and hormones that are released in the tears.

How then actually do we cry? The psychic tears (or emotional tears) require an emotional response, or trigger to be activated. This response can be caused by an outside source, either pain or loss of love, etc., or from an inside source (self-realization of one's life and others). When emotions affect us, the nervous system stimulates the cranial nerve, in the brain and this sends signals to the neurotransmitters to the tear glands. Thus, we cry .The largest tear gland, the lacrimal gland produces the tears of emotion and reflex. Many believe that the body, in times of emotional stress, depends on this gland to release excess amounts of chemicals and hormones, returning it to a stable state.

There are many culturally acceptable reasons to cry in society .The first accepted reason to cry is probably death. Grieving includes crying and often times it was believed that if someone did not cry, they would suffer physically because they did not release their pain. Experiences in life and love are other reasons society allows us to cry. Women have been allowed to cry more than men traditionally, but the benefits of crying seem to suggest that men need to cry more. Cultures around the world have crying out of obligation, for show, and for grief and pain. Each culture defines where and when it is acceptable to cry. Cultures, in some parts of the world, sometimes determine the length of crying and mourning. For example, in the Zuni culture, a chief allows the mourners of the dead to cry for four days after which the chief says that the death occurred four years ago, and now the mourning may end.

Answer 3

It is the human nature to cry when sad things happened in our life.

Heavy the sorrow that bows the head

Rhythmic vocalization.
A sobbing vocal exhalation, ranging from soft-to-loud, given as a visceral response to grief, happiness, sadness, or pain.

Observations.

Women cry five times more frequently than men (and average five crying spells a month). Women's tears also flow more than men's (which usually well up in the eyes rather than stream down the face like women's tears).

The average length of a crying spell is one to two minutes. Sadness, followed by anger, sympathy, and fear are the reasons most adults give for crying.

Tears.

Humans are the only animals positively known to cry emotional tears of sadness and joy, though the vocal cries, whines, and whimpers of young mammals are similarly used to solicit aid from mothers

Answer 4

That's a really good question!

I've never read anything about that but there must be a reason for this trait.

I think evolutionary theory provides a great tool for answering this. There are obvious disadvantages for an individual that is crying, and watery eyes that you can't see out of are a big one. So there must be a stronger advantage to this happening. There might be a physiological role in protecting the eyes.

Tears dripping down the face might be just an emotional cue to others in the group to show that one is hurt. It gets their attention and shows how badly you are feeling. We learn to recognize it coming from babies and I think that adults just use this infantile signal because it works as adults, too.

I certainly know that if tears come out of a woman's eyes, she usually gets her way from her man. That is a pretty strong advantage.

Answer 5

Crying is a more complicated process than one would at first imagine. First of all, there are really three different types of tears. Basal tears keep our eyes lubricated constantly. Reflex tears are produced when our eyes get irritated, like with onions or when something gets into our eyes. The third kind of tear is produced when the body reacts emotionally to something. Each type of tear contains different amounts of chemical proteins and hormones. Scientists have discovered that the emotional tears contain higher levels of manganese and the hormone prolactin, and this contributes in a reduction of both of these in the body; thus helping to keep depression away. Many people have found that crying actually calms them after being upset, and this is in part due to the chemicals and hormones that are released in the tears.

How then actually do we cry? The psychic tears (or emotional tears) require an emotional response, or trigger to be activated. This response can be caused by an outside source, either pain or loss of love, etc., or from an inside source (self-realization of one's life and others). When emotions affect us, the nervous system stimulates the cranial nerve, in the brain and this sends signals to the neurotransmitters to the tear glands. Thus, we cry .The largest tear gland, the lacrimal gland produces the tears of emotion and reflex. Many believe that the body, in times of emotional stress, depends on this gland to release excess amounts of chemicals and hormones, returning it to a stable state.

There are many culturally acceptable reasons to cry in society .The first accepted reason to cry is probably death. Grieving includes crying and often times it was believed that if someone did not cry, they would suffer physically because they did not release their pain. Experiences in life and love are other reasons society allows us to cry. Women have been allowed to cry more than men traditionally, but the benefits of crying seem to suggest that men need to cry more. Cultures around the world have crying out of obligation, for show, and for grief and pain. Each culture defines where and when it is acceptable to cry. Cultures, in some parts of the world, sometimes determine the length of crying and mourning. For example, in the Zuni culture, a chief allows the mourners of the dead to cry for four days after which the chief says that the death occurred four years ago, and now the mourning may end

Answer 6

The cry is different phases. If inside our eyes some dust or pain occur will cry.

- To knowing that getting some punishment will cry, this may
with or without knowledge made mistake

- If sincerely keep one losed then also cry

- Excepted not get or missed then also cry

Depend upon the nature its variation, its say a nature mechnisim.

Answer 7

Because of a chemical imbalance in the bloodstream, the chemical message sends an emotion known as "sadness" this usually triggers tears, chemical excretment from the eyes.

Answer 8

tears are good for the eyes once in awhile if you cry it clears your eyes. why do you laugh when you are happy also sometimes tears flow when you are very very happy also, when you yawn also sometimes tears flow it is just a form of hearty expression of our internal system. which is natural,

Answer 9

It lightens the burden and gives time to recover. A person who can't cry once in a while, can not get along with life.

Answer 10

We react to different things differently.
sadness is also a rection which is shown in the form of tears which is discharge of water and harmones from eyes.