Sleep deprivation may make you angry: 4 ways to calm yourself down

Recent research suggests that your anger may turn out of control if you are sleep deprived. Here are the best anger management techniques for you.

Written By: Saswati Sarkar | Updated : September 2, 2020 11:49 AM IST

Unmanaged anger can lead to a variety of health issues including hypertension, depression, anxiety, so on and so forth. It can also interfere with your performance at work. So, managing your emotions and keeping your calm is extremely essential for your overall well-being. There are various factors that can come in the way of your anger management skills. Sleep deprivation is one of them, says a recent research published in the journal Sleep.

Sleep deprivation and your anger: What is the link?

For the above-mentioned study, the researchers analysed the diary entries of college students and another lab experiment. Sleep pattern, daily stressors and anger of about 200 college students were tracked over a month. Initial results reveal that study participants who were sleep deprived experienced more outbursts of anger. Alongside the diary analysis, the research team also carried out a lab experiment with 147 residents. Some of them were asked to maintain a sleep schedule while others had to reduce their snooze time by 5 hours over two nights. Their anger was assessed based on their reaction to unpleasant noise. It was found that people who slept well could adapt to the noise well. However, those who had poor shut-eye, were more sensitive to the sound which triggered a heightened sense of anger in them. These findings of this study suggest that lack of sleep leads to poor adaptability to circumstantial frustration and amplified anger.

Apart from impacting your emotions, poor sleep can also be the culprit behind many other conditions like obesity, poor management of insulin, high blood pressure, so on and so forth.

Top Anger Management Strategies

Anger can range from mild to intense. While some amount of anger may be positive, helping you to take a strong stand, it can turn negative if you experience it too frequently and intensely. As already mentioned, poorly managed anger can lead to aggressive behaviour and an array of health issues too. In order to ensure your overall well-being, you need to be able to manage your anger well. Here are a few strategies to cope.

Spot the triggers
The first step is to figure out what causes you to lose your temper. It could be anything from traffic jams and long cue to tiredness or a tiff with your boss. Once you find out the culprit, you will be able to plan your actions for those situations in advance. Acting according to a plan will help you keep calm in stressful situations that trigger your anger.

Practise breathing techniques
You tend to take fast and shallow breaths while you get angry. Make a conscious effort to relax and slow down your breath when you lose your temper. Breathe in through your nose and breathe out through your mouth. This will help you calm down.

Sleep well
Make sure you get 7-8 hours of sleep every day. Do not compromise on your snooze time. If you find it difficult to doze off, create a sleep routine after consulting with a doctor. It's very important to go to bed at the same time every night to ensure sound sleep.

Know when to draw the line
A heated discussion can fuel your anger to an unhealthy level. Remove yourself from the situation if possible explaining that you need a break at the moment. Say something like, "I will come back and discuss the unresolved issues after I am at peace with myself. Taking a walk break when you feel angry can work wonders. You can also try some mild yoga stretches.