Why do we get tears when we're sad?

Question

i'm just curious.

don't have a go at me, please.

Answer 1

What's interesting about tears when we are sad is their composition. It is different than if you get something in your eye and it waters. Emotion component. It cleanses the soul.

Answer 2

good question.

tears can be useful for keeping your eyes wet, but why the pouring when you are sad? or when you yawn for that matter. i think maybe it might have to do with being a baby. because crying happens so much more as a baby, a way to express discomfort or a need, and sticks around more even as a young child, and then occurs much less. that makes sense for the yelling part of crying but i still can't think of why babies need tears. or yawning.

i don't know. i'm stumped hopefully someone else knows because now i need to know.

EDIT:

it could just be a random emotional cue, but usually these are universal among all animals. granted, laughing is human, but smiling is not, and laughing is ultra smiling basically, because our intelligence allows us to find things funny. sadness could be the same that way, but still as a baby we have tears, other animals i don't think do. plus other animals i don't think get teary eyed when they yawn...

maybe it's a way to help open your eyes when you are born.

Answer 3

It's the same reason that muscles in your face contract when your happy (smile), you exhale loudly when disappointed (sigh) and your face turns red when your nervous/shy. Humans are social by nature, and before language, these were all ways of communicating that were universally understood.

Answer 4

We do get tears when we laugh aloud for a long time! It's not a question for Philosophical page. Would you prefer a scientifical answer?

Answer 5

It is said that when we cry, the tears carry out some hormones and other proteins that are produced while we are stressed, but it doesn't make much sense, because it's not very very effective - we can't cry out very huge amounts. But anyway, getting rid of these hormones makes us feel better later because they are the ones that cause us stress or depression.

Sometimes when people are really happy, they start to cry. I have felt that but I have no idea why we do it. And it's very strange when you start to think about it. You know, there's a song called "I'm So Happy That I Can't Stop Crying"