Everyone deserves to have a good, hard cry every now and again to let built-up emotions out but the downside of crying (maybe too hard and long) is dealing with those puffy eyes later. While there are a lot of myths and old wives tales out there about how to “magically” get rid of the puffy, red circles after crying but this explains why our eyes get puffy and it will sum up the best methods for you. So, let’s find out why do eyes swell after crying! Show
First, did you know that there are three different types of tears that we cry?BasalThese tears are constantly secreted to help keep your corneas lubricated and oxygenated. These tears are produced in the lacrimal glands, which are located on the outsides of the upper and lower eyelids. Basal tears are responsible for keeping the eyes moisturized, help provide an even and clear surface to ensure optimally clear vision and help flush any small irritants out of the eye. Once the tears have done their job, they drain into the lacrimal sacs in the corners of your eye to end up in the nasal passages (why your nose gets stuffy when you cry). ReflexiveThe tears are released in response to pain or when a foreign object enters the eye. The brain triggers the release of these tears to help flush and heal the eyes. While their composition is similar to basal tears, reflexive tears have slightly more nutrients to help heal in the event of an eye injury. EmotionalReleased by the brain when triggered by emotional responses such as happiness or sadness, emotional tears do serve a biological function as well. During times of high emotion, the body endures chemical increases and emotional tears (being more water-based than basal or reflexive) carry more protein-based hormones and help counteract the body’s chemical imbalance from the emotion levels. How do you get make puffy eyes go away? Depending on the amount of time you have to relieve the puffiness, there are a few steps you can take to help.
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