Can crying be good for you? Over at Parent Dish, Sandy Maple recently blogged about her daughter's need to cry, and how he daughter always feels better when she's done. Sandy also pointed to research that found that emotional tears actually contain more protein and hormones than allergy or reflex tears, making researchers believe that emotional crying may actually help the body rid itself of waste and prevent depression.

I came across this clip from the Today Show that discusses crying, why we do it, and why it's beneficial. Turns out Sandy was right on target and that crying really does release pent up emotion. What stuck with me though, was that crying for many is really the second part of the flight or fight response. Crying, some experts believe, isn't actually in response to stress, but instead they believe it's a function of the body returning itself to normal following strong emotions.

Other benefits of crying? Better communication (you can't fake real tears, so loved ones know you're feelings are serious when they see you crying), a higher level of intimacy with others, and knowing you're in touch with your emotions. One statistic claims that women cry at least 5 times a month, so the next time you need a good cry...go ahead, and know that you aren't alone.