When a person laughs, many facial muscles contract. And they contract so much that they put pressure on the tear glands. Additionally, the diaphragm, abdominal muscles and chest muscles work while laughing. This causes pressure on the abdominal and chest cavities. Therefore, the normal flow of tears is blocked. Finally, the parasympathetic nervous system also plays a role in laughter. It forces the body to produce tears intensively in response to a strong release of emotion.
Tears give us emotional relief when we laugh. Sometimes this reaction occurs when we cannot decide what we feel: sadness or joy. Additionally, laughing accompanied by tears helps us strengthen social bonds or serves as a psychological defense.
Source: Ferra
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