While crying is often viewed as a healthy emotional release, it can also have negative effects on your health. Here are some health issues that can arise from excessive crying:
- Tension Headaches: Crying for prolonged periods can cause muscle tension in the face, jaw, neck, and back of the head. This can result in a tension headache, characterized by pain on both sides of the head, a tight band-like sensation, and tenderness in the affected areas.
- Fatigue: Crying can lead to exhaustion. As your heart rate rises and breathing slows down during emotional breakdowns, less oxygen reaches the brain, leaving you feeling lightheaded and drained.
- Swollen Eyes: After crying, blood vessels around the eyes dilate to increase blood flow, which can cause swelling and bloodshot eyes.
- Migraines: Crying can activate the autonomic nervous system, which may trigger migraine attacks. This can lead to severe pain on one side of the head or face, often accompanied by other symptoms like nausea and sensitivity to light.
- Sinus Headaches: Tears combined with mucus flowing into the sinuses can create sinus pressure, leading to a sinus headache. This pain is typically felt across the forehead, cheeks, and around the eyes, and may worsen when touched.
While crying helps release emotions and reduce stress, it’s important to be mindful of its potential physical toll on your body.
