A University of Utah student's "The Cry Closet" art exhibit allows students to de-stress during finals week. What are the potential health benefits of crying?
'The Cry Closet'
At the University of Utah, art student Nemo Miller has created an art installation that's perfect for finals week. "The Cry Closet" is a small, private space located in the very middle of a passageway at the university's J. Willard Marriott Library. The 400-pound closet-sized space was created for a class project, and has stuffed animals and toys inside.
On the door of The Cry Closet is a framed message stating that the space is for students to take a 10-minute break from studying for the finals. Also listed on the message are several reminders for anyone who wishes to use the closet such as knocking before entering, limiting closet time to no more than 10 minutes, and a reminder to turn the lights and timer off before leaving.
The closet has been widely accepted in campus, as Miller has stated that the closet is for the students who are in need of a safe space even in a public place. Adding to this is university spokesperson Jana Cunningham who told local news to "just let it all out." Other students are also supportive of the project, with one even stating that there should be one everywhere.
The closet will remain in the library all throughout finals week.
so my school installed a cry closet in the library LMFAOOOOOOOOO what is higher education pic.twitter.com/6rGcJv9qjr — jacks (@aJackieLarsen) April 24, 2018
Benefits Of Crying
Naturally, there are others who are questioning the purpose and usefulness of the closet, with some stating that it may not be the best way to prepare students for the "real world." However, there are actual benefits to crying, from detoxification to pain relief.
Evidently, crying reflex and continuous tears clears the eyes of debris and dust, and lubricates the eyes to help protect them from infection. Research has also shown that emotional tears contain stress hormones and toxins, and may be flushed out when one cries.
Further, crying for long periods of time also triggers the release of endorphins, the chemicals that aid physical and emotional pain relief. This helps the body go into a sort of numb phase, and can give a sense of calm. It may also help in lifting moods, as the act of sobbing makes an individual breathe in cool air that can help regulate the temperature of the brain.
Crying is also not limited to sad events, and research has shown that crying, whether sad, stressed, happy, or excited tears, may help restore emotional equilibrium. Evidently, researchers at Yale University believe that crying may be the body's way of relieving such strong emotions.
Crying is a normal reaction to strong emotions. That said, anyone who experiences excessive crying may want to seek the help of a medical professional.
