The Fall Equinox will occur Thursday, September 22, 2016 at 10:21 AM. Often the fall is associated with a lower mood. The days are shorter and the length and quality of light are less.
It can be natural to mourn the loss of long sunlit summer days, the profusion of flowers, and the plentiful summer fruits, to say nothing of vacations at the beach!
As a therapist, I often hear my clients apologizing for their tears. I tell them there is nothing to apologize for. In fact, here is what psychiatrist Judith Orloff says about tears: “Tears release stress hormones and help you heal. As you cry, your body expels guilt and tension. This helps you let it all go. Don’t fight the surrender of crying. Let tears cleanse stress from your body.”
Tears also lubricate your eyes, remove irritants, and contain antibodies that fight infection. “Emotional tears stimulate the production of endorphins, our bodies’ natural pain killers that help us recover from trauma. Crying helps the body excrete stress hormones. Along with physical detoxification, emotional tears heal a broken heart. Crying is necessary to work through grief. Let your tears purify suffering and negativity.”
Let’s not forget about laughter, another great way to express emotions! Laughter is also healing. It releases muscle tension and fatigue. It elevates immune response and endorphins, and takes the edge off stress, anxiety and depression. “Let laughter reveal the light that lives in even the darkest places”. Sometimes when you’re feeling down, it’s hard to find something to laugh about. That’s when it can be helpful to watch a funny movie! Have a good belly laugh and feel your stress release!
