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We've been taught all our lives to do one thing. You can run, you can hide. But on no account must you ever cry. Indeed, the sheer coldness of society has intimated that crying isn't just a sign of weakness, but actually something that exposes you to the cruelty of others. As such, to cry would be akin to committing harakiri, and honestly, I wouldn't want my tears to penetrate my heart or anything like that. But hey, did you know something? Instead of keeping quiet and tanking everything by yourself... Crying might actually work out better for you. No, really. Unbelievable as it might sound, that's apparently true. And get this; it could even make you better-looking. In a way. Why do you think girls look better than guys in general? Feel the interest lumping in yet? Me too. So without further ado, let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress... Tears. 1. It's a natural stress reliever There are many stress relievers in this world, from positive ones like exercising and doing things you like to negative ones like binge eating and compulsive shopping. But did you know that there's a natural stress reliever that could just relieve all the stress with no strings attached? No not that. Takes too much effort. Rather, I'm talking about crying. By letting the floodgates open, you're relieving stress, that apart from increasing the risk of heart attacks can also damage certain areas of the brain and cause tension headaches and migraines. And seeing how emotional stress also causes an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and other stress-related disorders, I reckon you'll be better off crying than facing all of that. Just listen to Neuroscientist Dr William H. Frey II, PhD, founder and co-director of the Alzheimer's Research Center at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota (who has also studied the pressing issue of crying and tears for over 20 years). “Crying is not only a human response to sorrow and frustration, it’s a healthy one.” What the heck, Mum. You were telling me it's like the worst thing to do since eating chocolate with rice! 2. Lowers blood pressure Having watched a ton of overly-dramatic dramas in my heyday, I realised this: People tend to get especially high blood pressure levels (even culminating in fatal heart attacks) in two scenarios: Their sons' best friends' wives' husbands' best friends betrayed them over a sour cream onion pringle They get stressed over a constant period of time before everything just seems to blow up a la 99% of Michael Bay films Well, sucks to be them, seeing how they could have avoided such an obvious plot device by just spreading their arms and letting those tears fall free and fast. According to research, crying has been discovered to reduce blood pressure and pulse rate instantly after therapy sessions during which patients bawled their eyes out. And while I'm not exactly Mr Genius, that route definitely sounds better than having high blood pressure, that potentially damages your heart and blood vessels and play a part in stroke, heart failure and even dementia. 3. Toxin removal Want to have a nicer complexion? Start crying. According to Dr Frey, crying actually detoxifies the body, and he's probably not joking. Tears supposedly help humans kill off chemicals like cortisol that accumulate during emotional stress and can potentially wreak havoc on the body. In other words, crying doesn't just involve physical release; it also involves emotional liberation that helps humans begin with a clean slate/ skin. 4. Elevates mood You might feel pretty shitty while you're crying, but believe me when I say that it's just that. When you're crying. After you're done checking clear (your tears), however, you will find that you have a significantly more upbeat emotional state as compared to before. See, the simple act of crying actually lowers the body's manganese level, a mineral that's found to affect mood and is located in greater concentrations in tears than in blood serum. And lest you're unaware, higher manganese levels would equate to positively-fantastic moods like anxiety, irritability and aggression, all of which are aspects I'm sure you wouldn't want anything to do with. 5. Motivation I'm not kidding; crying, as oxymoronic as it sounds, could actually motivate you in life. But before I breach into that topic, let me just quote you an equation that makes zero sense but will garner your interest anyway. Now, you might've noticed if you watched documentaries, but the eyes of all mammals are actually moistened and soothed by tears. Human beings, on the other hand, are the only mammals on this planet to shed tears in response to emotional stress. And while that sounds kind of negatory, the truth is that crying actually means that you're acknowledging the feelings you're experiencing, as well as emotions that spur us on to empathise, coordinate and work as a unit to formulate the best plan of survival. Now that I think about it, it makes sense. Why else would drama characters become stronger only after a period of crying, showing their aesthetic faces, beating themselves up, showing their aesthetic noses sniffing and more suffering? 6. Vital social function Unbeknownst to the majority of us, crying could actually operate as an important social function. Apart from helping communicate the strength and nature of relationships, it also elicits sympathy and pulls individuals closer to one another. Again, TV shows. You know those guy cry, girl cry, they hated each other but after sniffing around they are now best buds scenarios? Yep. So what are you waiting for? Alright, so maybe crying's not exactly like a good deal on the market, in the sense that it involves a whole lot more suffering on your part than a, say, typical 1-for-1 deal. But I'm sure you get the gist. Crying isn't as negative as you think. In fact, it might actually be positive, especially in the long run. As such, the next time you're feeling distinctly overwhelmed and find yourself fighting back tears... don't hold them back. Instead, find a quiet corner, or a supportive shoulder (preferably your crush) to lean on, and let those rusty floodgates open. Trust me; it's exactly what you need. Probably. After all, according to research, 85 percent of women and 73 percent of men actually feel less sad and angry after crying. So unless you're part of the 15 and 27 respective percentages... You should be feeling way more upbeat and cheerful compared to the heaving train wreck you were being just an hour ago. :) Featured Image: CHAjAMP / Shutterstock.com

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