The world is a tough place. You may have to face several battles every day on several fronts, like family, health, and career. There is so much at stake in these situations, and it becomes nearly impossible not to be emotionally invested in what we do. This can lead to extreme states of both happiness and sorrow.
Extreme sorrow, in particular, can be challenging to suppress and may overflow out of us, leading to expressive acts showing our emotional state. One such way to express sorrow is through tears. The amount of sobbing depends on our emotional state and the gravity of the situation.
Sometimes, when crying leads to tears beyond a certain level, it might become evident on your face due to puffy or red eyes. These puffy eyes are an easy giveaway that you cried profusely. This might not be something you want to be apparent to others as the situation might be personal.
This article helps you hide such puffiness caused by crying by using a few simple home remedies.
Why do we cry?
Several emotions can cause us to shed tears. However, tears have a more significant biological role in our bodies. Tear ducts are present in the eyes and nasal passage for specific purposes other than expressing one’s emotions. Primarily, they are a way to soothe your eyes and keep them moisturized.
There are primarily 3 types of tears, basal, reflex, and emotional. Basal tears are constantly secreted in the eyes to keep them moisturized. This keeps the eyes functioning efficiently and helps protect them with a layer against wind and harsh conditions.
Reflex tears are secreted by the body to combat any irritants that the eyes have been exposed to. This can occur when cutting onions or when dust flies into the eyes. These tears expel such irritants from the eyes and are also known to have disinfectant properties.
Emotional tears are caused by an intense emotional state of mind. This can be caused due to excessive sorrow, happiness, or other extreme levels of emotion. It is not entirely understood why emotional tears are secreted by the body, but it is believed to have evolutionary significance.
How to get rid of puffy eyes from crying?
Crying causes excess fluid accumulation in your eyes, leading to swelling. Excessive amounts of tears can leave you with puffy eyes. Swollen and puffy eyes, sometimes coupled with redness, can indicate to others that you cried recently. Most people do not want to tell others that they just cried.
Here are some ways in which you can get rid of indications that you recently cried:
1. Cool compress:
Using a wet cloth compress to dab the eyes can reduce swelling in and around the eyes. It helps cleanse the tissues around the eyes and reduces irritation caused by excessive overload of the tear ducts.
2. Cucumber slices:
Cucumbers are known for their cooling and hydrating properties and are a home ingredient to treat various ailments related to scarring and inflammation due to their soothing medicinal properties. These benefits can be applied to counter puffy eyes as well.
3. Tea bags:
The topical application of tea is considered highly beneficial for the body. This is because tea contains beneficial components like anti-oxidants and mild acids, which can help fight inflammation and help in new cell generation.
They are also known to increase the blood flow in the region they are topically applied at. This can be beneficial while treating puffy eyes, as massaging with tea bags can increase the blood flow to the area, helping reduce swelling.
4. Gentle massage:
Body massages have multiple benefits for our bodies. They help soothe sore muscles and relax our bodies. They are also known to increase blood flow within the body, helping heal minor ailments.
This benefit can apply to puffiness in the eyes by gently massaging the area around the eyes and nose. This can ease soreness caused by crying and helps increase blood flow to the region, which ultimately reduces swelling in the region.
5. Witch hazel:
Witch hazels are a traditional medication used topically on the skin for treating itching, swelling, inflammation, redness, and sunburns. It is primarily known for its ability to treat inflammation and soothe the skin.
It is also a mild disinfectant that can help clear up irritation caused by the skin. You can use it to treat puffiness in the eyes by taking a piece of cotton dabbed in a few drops of witch hazel liquid and using it to dab gently near the eyes.
6. Ice cubes:
Puffiness in the eyes is caused due to the swelling of tissues in and around the eyes due to excessive tear secretion. Cooling the area can help counteract such swelling caused and can help treat any tissue damage.
However, ice cubes should not be directly used on the eyes. You can wrap an ice cube in a piece of cloth and use it to dab near your eyes gently. Another way to use ice cubes is to mix ice cubes with some water and use the water to wash your face and eyes.
7. Moisturizing eye drops:
Sometimes, due to excessive crying, some blood vessels can rupture in the eyes, causing redness. This can dry out the eyes and make the puffiness challenging to treat. Using eye drops aimed at moisturizing the eyes can help treat this redness and reduce swelling around the eyes.
Conclusion
While the physical signs of crying can be eliminated using these home remedies, it is more important to treat your emotional state. Crying can be apparent due to a dull face as well.
Reaching out to your close friends and family is essential to get emotional relief in challenging situations. Your loved ones can help you escape such tough emotional states.
Remember, this too shall pass.
FAQs
1. What are the different types of tears?
Ans: There are three types of tears, basal, reflex, and emotional. Basal tears help keep the eyes moisturized. Reflex tears help protect the eyes from minor irritants. Emotional tears are a result of an intense emotional state.
2. What causes puffy eyes from crying?
Ans: Crying has a biological role in the body to protect and safeguard eyes in certain situations. For this purpose, the lacrimal drainage system is equipped to handle a certain amount of tears.
However, due to extensive crying, due to factors like emotional state, the lacrimal drainage system gets overwhelmed. This causes tears to spill out from the eyes and through the nose. This leads to the surrounding tissues reabsorbing some of the spilled tears causing them to puff up.
3. Is medication necessary to treat puffy eyes from crying?
Ans: Puffy eyes are a natural reaction to overwhelmed tear ducts in the eyes and nose. It is not caused due to a deeper ailment and is simply a result of the tissues around the eyes absorbing excess water.
While you can use medications and home treatments to deal with puffy eyes from crying, it is not a necessity. It tends to go away after resting the eyes for a short while. A catnap might be helpful in treating such puffiness.
4. How long does it take for puffy eyes from crying to go away without treatment?
Ans: Puffy eyes from crying tend to go away naturally after the eyes are well-rested. Anything from a catnap to a night’s sleep can completely remove any puffiness caused by crying.
Read Also:
