We all get angry from
time to time – after all, anger is a normal human reaction. It could be ignited
by a car that cut you off, by a person who muttered a rude comment, or even by
something you did to yourself, like spilling a cup of coffee. Those little
moments of frustration are nearly unavoidable in daily life. But did you know
that the way we deal with that anger can impact our health?
How Anger Affects the Body
The body has a
built-in “fight or flight” stress response in which it decides what
we should do in a harmful or threatening situation. When we get worked up about
something, a similar response happens. Our bodies react to the stress by
releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Even though this releases a
burst of energy through the body, it can actually have a negative impact on our
health. Those stress hormones cause increases in blood pressure, heart rate,
and breathing rate. Over time, all of that stress wreaks havoc on our
blood vessels, which can lead to higher rates of heart disease and stroke.
Minimizing Anger
A new year is the
perfect time to try to get our anger under control. Despite those
pesky little everyday moments, there are plenty of ways to deal with that anger
in a positive way.
1.
Think Before You Speak
The first and most
important step is expressing anger in a healthy way. We’ve all said things in
the heat of the moment that we later regret. Try to take a few deep breaths and
calm down before expressing your feelings.
2.
Get Some Exercise
All those stress
hormones rushing through our bodies can cause confusing reactions. It’s easy to
get caught up in that adrenaline-fueled energy burst when we’re angry, so try
to harness that energy by engaging in a physical activity like, walking or
running, to calm down.
3.
Take a Timeout
If you’re feeling
angry, sometimes the best thing to do is to remove yourself from the
situation and try to relax. Close your eyes and imagine a peaceful
setting. Take some rhythmic deep breaths. As soon as our emotions start to calm
down, our bodies will follow.
4.
Focus on Finding a Solution
Rather than
concentrating on what made you angry, try to focus on how to fix the issue at
hand. If it’s an issue with another person, constructively talk through your
issues without letting emotions get in the way. We all naturally let our
emotions affect our decisions, but when we’re angry, it’s extra important to
try to think clearly and make logic-based decisions.
5.
Don’t Hold a Grudge
It’s not good for our
bodies to keep all those negative feelings bottled up. Just remember that it’s
unrealistic for everyone to behave exactly how you would like all the time.
Brush off small things that may annoy you in the moment. Ask yourself, “Will I
remember this moment in 5 hours? In 5 months? Or even in 5 years?” Forgiving
someone or letting go of those pesky annoyances can be very cathartic and good
for our bodies.
6.
Know When to Seek Help
Learning to control
our anger isn’t an easy thing. As we move in and out of different phases of our
lives, we have to adapt how we deal with different triggers and types of issues
that can cause anger. Sometimes that can be overwhelming and we need help in
controlling our anger – and that’s perfectly okay. Just remember that the way
we deal with our anger doesn’t only affect our bodies, it also affects everyone
around us. It’s much better to get help from a professional or a support group
than to continue to hurt loved ones by saying or doing things out of
uncontrollable anger.
Maintaining awareness
of our angry feelings and engaging in some of the behaviors described above are
excellent steps we can take to tame our anger once and for all so we can live
healthier, more fulfilling lives.
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