A plunger for oil and gas wells includes a shaft and a sleeve carried by the shaft. The sleeve defines a passageway located between a surface of the sleeve and a portion of the shaft, and the sleeve is longitudinally translatable relative to the shaft from a first configuration to a second configuration and vice versa. In the first configuration the plunger inhibits fluid flow through the passageway, and in the second configuration the plunger permits fluid flow through the passageway. The plunger further includes a force dissipating element interposed between the shaft and the sleeve. The force dissipating element at least partially dissipates forces caused by at least one of (1) the sleeve stopping relative to the shaft after translating from the first configuration to the second configuration; and (2) the sleeve stopping relative to the shaft after translating from the second configuration to the first configuration.